Watch Over Me Part 1
by Lala1995
Summary: Sequel to STCT. Derek and Meredith are now married, with a family and are busy with life. The good and the bad sides of marriages and raising kids. Will they be there for one another to pull free when it gets all too much or run in the opposite direction?
1. The Start Of Something New

**So here is my next story. The sequel to Space they cannot touch. I have been meaning to post for a few days but have been busy so here it is. **

**Enjoy..**

Meredith woke on that Sunday morning. She was due any day now. She rolled over and turned to her husband. He didn't start his internship until next week. So he was hoping the baby would be born before he started. She kissed his forehead and he opened his eyes and smiled at her.

"Morning." He says.

"Morning to you to."

He pulls her as close to his body as her belly will allow.

"Any day now." He says.

"I know. I can't wait."

"Me either."

They hear the door of their bedroom open. The bed shifts as Kaylee jumps onto the bed.

"Morning Kaylee." Derek says.

"Morning daddy. Morning Mumma."

"How are you baby girl?" Meredith asks.

"Good mumma. When's the baby going to be born?"

"Soon sweetie."

"When's soon?" She asks.

"Today, tomorrow next Sunday."

"Next Sunday is too far away."

"I agree. Hopefully it's today or tomorrow." Derek says. "How about we go out for some breakfast since it might be a while until we get the next family breakfast."

"Sounds like a good idea." Meredith says. "Kaylee I'm going to get you dressed sweetie so let's go down now."

Meredith gets up off the bed. She holds Kaylee's hand as they walk down to her room. Meredith wanted her to pick her up but she could barely bend down anymore. Her stomach was so much bigger now that when she was with Kaylee.

Meredith dressed Kaylee and sent her downstairs while Meredith showered and got herself dressed. The shower was limited on space with her being at this stage of pregnancy.

She dried herself off and got dressed and went downstairs. Derek was watching TV with Kaylee. She walks into the lounge room.

"Ready?" She asks.

"We sure are." He says. "Come on sweetie let's go."

...

After breakfast they went to the park to let Kaylee run around and play. Meredith sat on the park bench while Derek pushed her on the swings and on chased her around the play ground. She giggled as Derek chased her and Meredith sat back and smiled at her.

As Meredith sat on the park bench Kathleen, John, Braden, Claire and Lacey walked towards them.

Kathleen had the girls in the pram and Braden was riding his bike. Kathleen walked over to her and sat down while John took Braden off his bike and the two of them went and played with Derek and Kaylee.

"Hi Kath. How are you?"

"I'm good. How are you? You're about to burst any day now."

"I'm good very excited."

"Same. What do you think you're having?"

"I want a little boy and I think we are having a boy. Derek is leading towards a girl this time but we had a bet last time that mothers know best and I was right so I think it's a baby boy."

"Well I need another boy nephew. I only have one."

"I know." She says with a smile.

"Mummy can I go and play with Daddy and Uncle Shepherd and Kaylee and Braden?" Claire asks.

"Sure Claire." Kathleen says as she takes Claire out of the pram to let her play.

They watch as she runs over straight to Derek and Derek picks her up and lifts her in the air. She laughs as he sets her back down on the ground.

"How's Lacey going?" Meredith coos to the little girl.

She just smiles and reaches her arms out to her.

"You can take her out if you want." Kathleen says.

"Sure. Come here Lacey."

Meredith takes Lacey out of the pram and sits her on her lap facing her.

"I can barley sit her on my lap."

"I know. Your stomach is so much bigger then when you where pregnant with Kaylee."

"I know. I'm scared of having a monster baby. Like this baby will be a 10 or 11 lbs. I am only tiny so I don't know how they are going to deliver the baby naturally"

"I'm sure that it won't be a 10 lbs. Kaylee was only a small baby and you are only a same frame. There is no one big in our family and I think that the baby will be delivered naturally. It is most likely the way the baby is laying." She says running her hands over Meredith's stomach. "How do you think Kaylee will adapt to the new arrival?"

"At the moment she is waiting and very excited about the baby but I have a fear that she won't adapt as well and have the sibling rivalry but I'm going to try and spend as much time with both of them."

"We did that with the kids but they were fine but since they were younger then Kaylee then I think it was easier. Kaylee is a little bit older and I think she will take it to heart more so watch out for that."

"I will." She passes Lacey back to Kathleen. "We better get going. We're going for lunch with Richard, Jackson and Charlie."

"How are you going without them being at home?"

"I miss them but we really needed the space for the new baby."

"Well at least now you don't have four kids to look after."

"Yeah I suppose. Anyway I guess I will see you soon. After the baby is born."

"I guess we will. Bye Mer."

Meredith goes over to Derek and they leave for Richard's house.

...

They arrive at the house. Derek helps Meredith out of the car and helps her and Kaylee up to the front door. Richard opens the door.

"Hey guys." He says.

"Hi Richard." Meredith says.

Richard hugs Meredith then bends down and picks Kaylee up into his arms.

"How's my Kaylee going?" He asks.

"Good poppy."

"Well I have a surprise for you."

"A present?"

"Maybe you will have to wait and see."

He leads them inside and takes them to the lounge room where Jackson and Charlie are.

"Hey Mer." Jackson says.

"Hi Jackson. Hey Charlie."

"Hey Mer. No baby yet?" Jackson asks not interested.

"Not yet. Soon though."

"We can see that. You barely fit through the door your that big." Jackson says.

"Thanks Jacko. That's a nice thing to say to your older sister."

"It was a joke."

"I know."

"But I'm serious. Hopefully you're not walking and the baby just slips out."

"Jackson how much do you know about childbirth and about the female reproductive system oh and babies."

"Um I know that babies don't slip out when you're walking. I know enough about babies. I lived with one for almost 4 years and I delivered her so there is something about childbirth." He says. "Oh and I know enough about the female reproductive system." He says with a sly smile.

"That is something that I didn't need to know." She says turning and leaving the room.

"You've been spending way too much time with Mark." Derek says as he leaves the room as well.

"What at least he teaches me stuff." Jackson yells after Derek.

They spend the rest of the afternoon at Richard's.

...

Once they got home Derek bathed Kaylee while Meredith sat on the toilet seat watching her splashing around in the water. Derek takes her out and they go down to her room. He lays her down on the bed and Meredith dresses her into her pyjamas. They read her a bedtime story. Kaylee had fallen asleep halfway through it. Meredith kisses her forehead and tucks her in.

They turn the light off and leave her room.

"I'm going to bed. I'm exhausted." Meredith says.

"Okay. Night, I'll be in soon." He says while giving her a kiss goodnight.

"Night."

She changes into her pyjama bottoms and top. She lies down in her bed and pulls the covers up to just on top of her stomach. She closes her eyes and is fast asleep.

She wakes 2 hour later to a sharp pain. She grasps onto her stomach and sits up in bed. She looks to her side and notices that Derek isn't there. She waits for the contraction to pass and gets up off the bed and goes down the stairs. She walks into the study and sees Derek lying down asleep in there.

"Derek."

"Hmm." He says sleepily.

"It's time."

"What."

"Your baby is ready to be born." She says.

He jumps up to her side.

"Really okay let's get going then. You stay down here. I'll get you some clothes to change into. I'll get changed and get Kaylee ready to drop off at Ma's."

"Okay."

In ten minutes they are ready to go. They have a sleepy Kaylee in the back seat. The hospital bag ready and the mother to be also ready to go.

They have dropped Kaylee of at Carolyn's and were on their way to the hospital. They let them know that they were on the way. On the way to the hospital Meredith's waters had broke.

They arrive at the hospital and Derek wheels her in to the front desk and they take her up to the maternity ward. The doctor had examined her and told her that it could be a while. She was only 3 centimetres. This was going to be a while.

"This one isn't as impatient as Kaylee." Derek says.

"I know. I'm guessing we are going to be here a while."

"Probably. So we have time. Why don't you rest? You will need it."

"Okay you better rest as well."

"I will."

They are both asleep and waiting for the slow delivery.

...

After four hours the doctor examined her again. She was only at 5 centimetres. This was going to be slow.

The hours past and the labour was going slowly. It was the morning and the doctor had just visited her again. She was only at 6 centimetres.

"God why is this going so slow?"

"I don't know. At least this time I'm actually here to see it."

"Yes you are."

8 hours had past and she was at 9 centimetres. The doctor said that it could be another hour or so.

...

After being in labour for almost 18 hours Meredith had delivered a healthy baby boy.

Cooper Isaac was born at 4.32pm on the 30th of June. He was a healthy 8 lbs and 52 centimetres.

Cooper had just been cleaned up and placed back into Meredith's arms. He was awake and looking at his mum and dad.

"He is finally here." Derek says.

"I know. Finally. He is so gorgeous."

"Just like his mum." He says as he looks at her.

She looks up and meets his eyes. He leans in and kisses her.

"He doesn't look like you Derek at all."

"I know. That's why I said he was gorgeous like you."

"Thank you. Can we bring Kaylee in?"

"Sure I'll call Mum in just a second. I want to spend some more time with my baby boy."

30 minutes later Carolyn walked into Meredith's room with Kaylee. Kaylee runs over to the side of the bed and Derek picks her up so she can see Cooper.

"Kaylee this is your new baby brother." Meredith says. "Cooper."

"I got a brother."

"You sure did."

"Can I hold him?"

"If you want. Daddy will help you."

Kaylee sits down on the chair and Derek takes Cooper into his arms and lays him down in Kaylee's. He helps her hold him. Cooper is awake and looking at her the whole time. Kaylee gives up and Carolyn holds onto him.

"18 hours. He wasn't like Kaylee was he?"

"Not at all." Meredith says.

Carolyn and Kaylee had stayed for half an hour and then left. She had him asleep in her arms.

"You think we should let Richard know?" Derek asks.

"Yes I think we should."

Derek calls him and he is on his way down from his office.

He knocks on the door and walks inside. He kisses Meredith's forehead.

"We would like you to meet Cooper Isaac Shepherd." Meredith says.

"May I?" Richard asks.

Meredith places Cooper into Richard's arms. He rocks Cooper side to side.

His pager then goes off. He hands him back to Meredith.

"I'll pop in later and bring Charlie and Jackson with me." He says as he goes to the door. "Congratulations."

Meredith lays him down in the bassinet to let him sleep. Derek sits down on the bed next to her.

"So shall we let everyone else know or should we wait?" Meredith asks.

"Let's wait until tomorrow cause knowing them they will be here and we won't sleep for a while."

"Good idea because I'm absolutely exhausted."

"18 hours of labour will do that for you."

"I know."

She looks over at Cooper again.

"I'm so in love with him Derek."

"Me two. Now we have one of each."

"I know."

"Derek?"

"Yeah."

"No more babies until after med school and after I finish being an intern because I will fall behind if I'm a pregnant intern."

"I know. So no more getting drunk and having unprotected sex because that's how the last two were conceived."

"With Kaylee I wasn't drunk. You were drunk but not as drunk as 9 months ago when he was conceived. We were both smashed."

"I know. That's what happens when you play drinking games with Mark and come to think of it the night we conceived Kaylee I did get drunk at Mark's so he is to blame for the conception of our two kids."

"Derek we can't blame him because if we do and that never happened then we wouldn't have our two kids."

"I know. So next time we want to try to get pregnant we will get Mark to get us drunk?"

"That's not what I'm saying. I think it's more the idea of not using contraceptives."

"Yeah that works along with alcohol."

Meredith just giggles.

"So you promise that if we do have sex that you will wear a condom and I will go on the pill when we start having sex again." Meredith says.

"Deal. No more kids for a few years and contraceptives will be always in use unless we decide to start trying for another."

"Good. So we have time to get used to this one and watch him grow up."

"You sure you'll be fine with being at home while I'm at work."

"I will be Derek. I will also bring Kaylee and Cooper along to see you as often as possible."

"That's good because I don't think I will be home much when I start."

"I know that. It will be the same next year when I start."

"Kaylee will be in preschool by then and Coop will be already 1 year old. Time flies doesn't it?"

"It sure does. I still remember the day when we were at the hospital after Kaylee was born. She has grown up so fast."

"She sure has. Before we know it she will be graduating from high school and going off to uni."

"Do you think she will become a doctor?" Meredith asks.

"Maybe yes and maybe no. She will probably spend a lot of time here so she will but I hope she chooses a different career path."

"Me too."

They fall into a silence for a few minutes.

"Do you think they will judge you as an intern? Being married with two kids." She asks.

"Maybe at first. But they don't have a right to judge."

"It will be worse for me."

"Why?"

"Derek you will be a first year resident and I will be married to you and have two kids."

"So you tell them that they don't have the right to judge."

"I will but that isn't until next year so give me time."

"I am." He says. "You should get some rest Mer."

"Okay. Night Derek."

"Night."

They fall asleep in each other's arms.

**What did you think? Anyway next chapter should be up in a few days**

**Please let me know what you think.**


	2. You Are Still My Baby And Always Will Be

**Sorry for the wait but here is the next chapter. It is mostly about Kaylee struggling with the new baby in the house and becoming more dependent of herself.**

**Enjoyxxx**

After being in hospital for 2 days Meredith and Cooper were getting released. She had just signed the discharge papers and they were ready to go. Just waiting on Derek to show up with Kaylee.

Cooper slept soundly in his capsule. Meredith was in love with him. He didn't look like Derek at all. He was bald and had green eyes.

Derek then walked into her room with Kaylee.

"Mummy."

"Kaylee. How are you?" Meredith asks picking her up.

"Good. Are we taking Cooper home today?"

"Yes we are."

"Okay."

"Let me put you down for a moment. I need to put his beanie on."

Meredith puts Kaylee down on the bed and takes the beanie out of the baby bag and sits it on his head.

"Is that to keep him warm mummy?"

"Yeah it is. Since he doesn't have hair like you did when you were a baby we have to keep him warm."

"Okay. Did I have a lot of hair on my head?"

"You sure did. I'll show you a picture when we get home." Meredith says. "You ready to go?"

"Yes. I'll carry him out and you can carry her." Derek says.

"Come on Kaylee."

Meredith puts Kaylee onto her hip and Derek grabs the capsule and the bags and they leave the hospital with their new baby.

...

They arrive home. Derek takes Kaylee and the bags out. Meredith takes the capsule and they walk inside. They walk through the front door and into the lounge room where it has been decorated with welcome home and it's a boy signs.

All their friends are there and had done this for them.

"Welcome home." Izzie says.

"Thanks." Meredith says.

Izzie grabs the capsule from Meredith and sets in on the coffee table. The girls all gush over Cooper while the boys go and mingle in the kitchen. Kaylee is sitting on Meredith's lap while the girls are talking about Cooper.

"Mummy I'm thirsty."

"Daddy is in the kitchen so go and ask him if he can get you one."

"But I want you to get me one."

"Okay sure."

They walk into the kitchen.

"I think it won't be long until Kaylee breaks." Cristina says.

"Yeah I think she is going to have trouble not being around Mer 24/7." Callie says.

"Well she is a mummy's girl so it will happen." Izzie says.

Kaylee and Meredith walk back into the lounge and sit down. Cooper is now awake.

"Hello baby boy. You're awake." Meredith says as she goes to take him out of the capsule but Kaylee stops her.

"Mummy can you come and play with me?"

"Sweetie Cooper needs to have something to eat. I'm sure daddy will play with you."

"No I want you to." She says angry.

"Kaylee calm down."

"I want you to play with me." She says getting angrier.

"Sweetie I can't Cooper needs to be fed."

Kaylee hits Meredith's leg. Meredith grabs her hand.

"Kaylee don't hit."

Then starts the temper tantrum. Kaylee starts crying.

"Derek can you come here." Meredith yells.

Derek walks into the lounge room and sees Kaylee crying.

"Can you take her please? She is having a tantrum because I won't play with her."

"Okay. Come on Kaylee." Derek says.

He grabs onto her hand and leads her away from the lounge room.

"Sorry guys you had to see that."

"It's fine Mer." Arizona says.

"I thought she would be fine with the baby but I must be wrong."

"I think the reason she is like this is because it has only really been you and her for a while and she is a mummy's girl so it will be hard for her." Izzie says.

"Yeah Izzie is right you need to try and still spend time with her. She is having issues of not being the baby anymore and you are spending all your attention on Cooper. So I think you should try and spend as much time with her. When Cooper is asleep play with her, do something that interests you both. So when it does come time to looking after Cooper she has had her mummy time and she will not cry when Cooper is getting all the attention." Callie says.

"Okay sure. It's going to be hard next week when Derek starts his internship though."

"Well me and Cristina are only a phone call away remember." Izzie says.

"I will. I wasn't to mean to her was I?"

"Not really."

"Okay that's good." She says as she takes Cooper and starts feeding him.

...

Derek took Kaylee upstairs to her room away from everything and to settle her down.

"Kaylee what's wrong baby girl?"

"I want to play with mummy but she didn't want to."

"I'm sure she did but Cooper needed his feed."

"But why can't she not feed him?"

"He needs to be fed. He is dependent on mummy for that."

"Yeah but can't Cooper feed himself?"

"No sweetie. That won't be for a while yet. You were like this once Kaylee. We used to have to feed you, bath you and change you. You were dependent on us all the time."

"I was?"

"You sure were. And because mummy fed you like Cooper she couldn't pass you off to one of us to feed. She was the only one that could feed you and Cooper is the same at the moment. So when mummy says that she needs to feed Cooper you need to let her feed him and not ask to play."

"But will mummy play with me ever again?"

"Of course she will. You just need to give her time."

"Okay then."

"But I'm sure if you help mummy with Cooper she will be happy."

"Okay."

"So you ready to go back downstairs and apologise to mummy for hitting her."

"Yes daddy."

"Come here." He says and hugs her.

They go downstairs and Derek takes her into the lounge room.

"Kaylee do you have something you would like to say to mummy?"

"I'm sorry for hurting you mummy."

"That's okay sweetie. Can I have a kiss?"

Kaylee kisses Meredith.

"Daddy can you play with me?"

"Of course sweetie."

They leave the room.

"I wonder what he said to her." Cristina says.

"I know. He probably explained why I wasn't spending time with her."

"Okay we're gonna leave you to it." The girls say. "We'll see you around."

"Okay, thanks for visiting."

"No worries."

They all leave.

After they walk out the front door.

They all hand money over to Cristina.

"Thank you."

...

Charlie, Jackson, Richard and Jasmine had come over for a couple of hours to see Cooper. Richard brought lunch with him and they talked about when they brought Kaylee home and the kids fighting over the new baby. It was a fun afternoon for them all. They left when Richard was paged to the hospital. Derek dropped the kids off home and came back and started dinner.

Meredith had Cooper fed and he was asleep. Derek was cooking dinner while Kaylee and Meredith were watching TV together. Spending time together.

"Kaylee you still know that I love you."

"I know mummy. I love you to."

"That's good. It just might be a bit hectic for a little while that's all."

"Daddy said that."

Derek walks into the lounge room.

"Dinner's ready."

"Come on sweetie." Meredith says picking her up and carrying her to the kitchen.

They share a family dinner.

After dinner Meredith baths Kaylee and reads her a story and puts her to bed.

"Night Kaylee."

"Night mummy."

Meredith kisses her forehead and left her room.

She was walking down the hallway to the nursery. She walks inside and sees Derek changing Cooper. She walks over to Derek's side and watches him change Cooper's nappy.

"Kaylee's asleep." She tells him.

"Okay. Well this little boy woke up and needed a nappy change and will need his feed."

"Sure."

Derek passes Cooper over to Meredith and she starts feeding him.

"So what did you say to Kaylee today to make her realise why you can't always be there with her."

"I just explained why you weren't spending time with her."

"Well it worked I might say."

"Yeah it reminds me of when we brought Kaylee home and Charlie and Jackson were at each other's necks and were fighting each other."

"I know. We survived that in the end so we can hopefully survive this."

"We will. We can survive anything."

"We sure can."

"I'm going for a shower and going to bed. I'll see you soon."

"Okay."

Derek kisses her and leaves.

Meredith looks down at Cooper.

"It will get better mister. Kaylee's having a hard time adjusting that's all. So I'm going to have to split my time between the two of you."

She finishes feeding Cooper. Burps him and settles him in the bassinet in her bedroom. Derek is asleep. So she goes and has a shower. Changes into her pyjama pants, grabs the shirt Derek was wearing today and goes and checks Cooper one last time before climbing into bed next to Derek.

She falls into a slumber after the busy day.

...

The next morning Kaylee walks into their bedroom like most mornings. She just stands at the doorway and doesn't walk in and jump on the bed like most mornings.

"Mummy, daddy." She says.

Meredith and Derek hear her and wake up.

"What's wrong Kaylee?" Derek asks.

"Can I have breakfast please?"

Meredith looks at the alarm clock and sees that it is quarter to 6.

"Kaylee you're never up this early." Meredith says.

"I know but I'm hungry."

"Come lie down here for a few minutes before we make you breakfast."

"It's okay. I'm going to go and play in my room."

She says as she walks down to her room.

"That was strange. She didn't want to come and lie down like she always does." Meredith says.

"Maybe she is becoming more dependent of herself she doesn't need us of a morning for her snuggle before we get up and start the day. She might think that she isn't a baby anymore."

"But she still is my baby girl. I don't want her to grow up."

"I know me either."

They snuggle into each other and shut their eyes for a little more rest. When they hear a crashing noise coming from downstairs. They both sit up and look at each other.

"What was that?" Meredith asks.

"I don't know."

They get up off the bed and go downstairs. Where they find Kaylee crying and on the floor. Meredith jumps to her side and picks her up. Where her crying gets worse.

"Meredith put her back down. I think she has hurt herself."

Meredith lays her back down on the ground.

"Kaylee what happened sweetie?"

"I fell." She says in between sobs.

"Down the stairs?" Derek asks.

She just nods her head.

"Okay sweetie. Let me check you. Does anywhere hurt?"

She holds her arm up. Derek checks over her arm and everywhere else.

"I think you will be fine. Nothing seems wrong but you do have a bump on your head though so we will put some ice on it and it should go down." Derek says.

Meredith sits with her while Derek goes to get some ice.

"You scared us sweetie."

"I did."

"Of course you did. You should have waited for us. Why didn't you come and lay down with us this morning."

"Because I'm becoming more pendent of myself and I don't need morning cuddles."

"I still do."

"But I'm not your baby anymore."

"You will always be my baby Kaylee. So I don't want my morning bonding with you to end because of that."

"Okay mummy."

"Here we go sweetie." Derek says as he hands over the ice pack.

They sit the ice pack on her forehead. Derek picks her up and takes her to the lounge room. Derek sits with her and turns the TV on and they start watching. Meredith sits down on the other side of Kaylee.

15 minutes pass and Cooper cries are heard from the baby monitor. Meredith gets up off the lounge and goes upstairs to her bedroom. She looks over the bassinet and sees Cooper.

"Hello baby boy."

Meredith reaches over and takes him out. She rocks him in her arms while she takes the blanket out and wraps him. She goes downstairs and sits in the lounge room next to Kaylee again.

Kaylee looks at Cooper.

"Mummy can I hold him?"

"Sure sweetie."

She passes him over to Kaylee and she holds him. Cooper starts crying again. Meredith takes him and starts feeding him.

"Do you want some breakfast now?" Derek asks.

"Yes please daddy."

"Okay you get the special today. Pancakes."

"Can I help you?"

"Yes you can."

They go off and start making breakfast. Hopefully the day will be less dramatic then the morning had been.

**So I will admit that that wasn't the best chapter but there are some good ones coming up. I have about 14 written and I'm going to explore Jasmine a bit more and we will get to know her and more about her family and a secret that they have. **

**Next one should be up before I go away next week.**


	3. They Don't Get That I Have A Family

**Sorry for the delay in the update internet connections was slow and I couldn't stand waiting for it so I decided to wait.**

**This chapter is Derek's first day at work as an intern.**

**Enjoyxxx**

The alarm sounded at 6 o'clock that morning. Derek rolled over and slammed it off and rolled back over and hugged Meredith.

"Hmm I don't want to go to work." Derek says.

"Well you have to. Make a living."

"I know but I would much prefer to spend the day with you."

"I know me too." She says. "You better start getting ready."

"5 more minutes."

"Okay."

45 minutes later he was finishing getting ready before he left for work.

Kaylee had gotten up 5 minutes earlier and was sitting at the table eating her breakfast.

"I'm not going to be home tonight. I won't see you until Wednesday morning sweetie."

"Why daddy?"

"I'm starting work today."

"Are you going to help sick people?"

"Yes I am."

"Can I come and see you?"

"You will have to ask mummy."

"Okay."

"I have to go now sweetie. See you later and behave for mummy."

"Okay daddy. Love you."

"I love you to." He says kissing her forehead.

He walks up stairs to his bedroom. Meredith is on her side resting. He goes to her side and kisses her forehead; pushing her hair away from her face.

"I'm going now." He whispers to her.

"Okay I'll see you Wednesday morning."

"Come for lunch today and meet me."

"Sure 1 o'clock?"

"1 o'clock." He says kissing her again. "Love you."

"Love you to."

He gets up and goes to the bassinet and kisses Cooper.

"Bye buddy. I'll see you at lunch time."

He leaves the room then leaves for the hospital.

Meredith is lying down in bed when Kaylee comes and lies down in front of her. Kaylee is facing Meredith.

"Morning mummy." She says.

Meredith opens her eyes.

"Morning Kaylee." She says as she kisses her forehead.

"Can we visit daddy today?"

"Yes we can. We're going to meet him for lunch."

"Okay."

"Then we might go and see poppy. Then we might go to the park or go and visit Charlie and Jackson. Does that sound good?"

"Yes mummy. Can we visit daddy now?"

"Not yet. We have to wait until lunch to visit him."

"How long is that away?"

"A few hours."

"I wish that would be quicker."

"Me too." She says to her. "Have you had breakfast?"

"Yes I have. Daddy made some cereal."

"Was it good?"

"The best cereal ever."

"That's good. I think I might have some myself."

"Okay mummy. I'm going to watch TV."

"Okay sweetie."

Meredith watches her climb off the bed and leave the bedroom. Meredith gets up off the bed and checks on Cooper. She sees that he is awake.

"Come on let's get you fed and we will figure out our day." She says to him.

She picks him up and holds him on her shoulder. Rubbing his back as she goes down stairs to start the day.

...

Derek pulls up at the hospital. He climbs out of his car and goes to start his first day as an intern. Mark pulls up.

"Shepherd." He says.

Derek turns around and waits for him as he jogs over towards him.

"Hey man." Mark says.

"Hi Mark. Ready for today?"

"I think so. What about you?"

"I guess. I'm gonna miss the kids like crazy though."

"I know. How are you adapting to the little one?"

"Fine I guess."

"No more incidents with Kaylee?"

"Not at the moment. She is warming up to Cooper now."

"Well that's good."

"Yeah let's get going."

They walk inside and drop their bags off in the locker room and go and get the tour around the hospital from Richard.

After the tour they are handed over their scrubs and assigned lockers. Derek unpacks everything and personalises it more. He puts photos up of Kaylee, Cooper and Meredith.

He changes into his scrubs and they start their day.

...

When it's 1 o'clock Meredith walks into the hospital with the kids in the double pram. She walks into the cafeteria and finds a seat and waits for Derek.

Derek finishes up with his patient and goes down to the cafeteria for lunch. He walks in and finds Meredith sitting with Mark, Callie and Arizona. He walks over to her and kisses her on the lips and sits down next to her.

"Daddy." Kaylee says.

"Hello princess." He says as he takes her out of the pram.

"I'm going to get some lunch what do you want?" Meredith asks.

"Whatever you're having."

"Okay."

"I'll help you." Mark says.

They go and get lunch and walk back to the table and sit down.

"So how is your first day going?"

"Alright. Slow." Derek says.

"So no patients yet?"

"Not yet just a lot of doing nothing."

"Sounds like fun."

"Not really."

"What about you guys."

"The same but I do actually have a patient." Mark says.

"Mark tell Meredith how many nurses you have slept with today." Callie says.

"Yes Mark. Tell me." Meredith says.

"Not that many."

"I don't believe that."

"Fine 3 nurses and I have gotten about 10 numbers."

"Oh there it is. I think that it will be a few more by the end of our shift." Derek says.

"Yes probably."

They eat their lunch when a doctor walks over to the table.

"Hi guys so each year one intern gets to scrub in on a surgery. So congratulations Dr Shepherd. OR 2 today at 6. You're scrubbing in with me on a hernia." Dr Roach says. "See you then."

He says walking away.

"Congratulations." Meredith says as she kisses him.

"Thank you."

Callie's pager goes off.

"I got to go. I'll see you around Meredith."

"Bye Callie."

"Cya Kaylee."

"Bye bye."

Arizona and Mark's pages go off.

"See you two later." Mark says.

"Bye guys."

They spend the rest of the lunch together.

"Okay I wish I could stay but I have to get going." He says.

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow maybe."

"Sure. Let me know. I love you." He says as he kisses her.

"Love you to."

"Bye Kaylee."

"Bye Daddy."

He kisses her on the forehead and then kisses Cooper.

"Bye buddy."

He leaves the cafeteria.

"Come on lets go see poppy."

Meredith puts Kaylee back into the pram and they head towards Richard's office. They walk to the elevator and stand waiting for it to arrive. The doors open and Meredith walks in. She presses the floor number. Two doctors walk into the elevator and start bickering away.

"Did you hear that Dr. Shepherd is married and he already has two kids? God whoever he is married to is one lucky lady." She says.

"I know. Have you seen his hair and his eyes? God they are amazing." The other one says.

Meredith just stands there trying not to say anything.

"Mummy can we see daddy again tomorrow." Kaylee says.

The two doctors turn around and look at Meredith. Meredith smiles an embarrassed smile.

"Hi." Meredith says.

They just turn back around.

"I'm guessing she is the lucky lady." The first one whispers.

The doors open and the doctors get off and Meredith leaves as well and goes down to Richard's office. She knocks on the door.

"Come in."

She opens the door and walks inside to his office.

"Meredith, what are you doing here?"

"I came to see Derek for lunch. Since he has the 40 hour shift I brought the kids to see him."

"Okay. How our my grandkids going?"

"They are great."

"Mummy can I get out please?"

"Sure."

Meredith takes her out of the pram and she runs over to Richard. Meredith sits down.

"We didn't interrupt you did we?"

"My grandkids are allowed to interrupt me."

"So you're not doing important paperwork."

"It can wait. It is only paperwork to do about the new interns."

"Sounds like fun."

"Not really."

Meredith laughs a little.

"Anyway did you hear that Derek is doing the first surgery out of the interns?" Richard asks.

"Yes I did. I was there when they announced it."

"It's a good effort. All the surgeon's have their eyes on him. I think he is going to be a great one."

"Me too."

There is a knock at the door and Patricia is standing there.

"Sir the donor from Wilkinson is on its way."

"Okay thanks Patricia. I've got to get going Meredith."

"That's fine. I'll see you around." Meredith says.

"Bye Meredith. Bye Kaylee."

"Bye poppy."

Richard leaves and Meredith puts Kaylee back into the pram. They leave Richard's room and head down to the car.

"Do you want to go to the park Kaylee?"

"Yes please mummy."

"Good so do I."

...

Derek had scrubbed in on the hernia operation and Mark was jealous of him. Mark was awake on the top bunk and Derek was on the bottom almost asleep.

"Dude how did it feel being the first to scrub in."

"Alright felt pretty amazing."

"At least you didn't funk out and kill the patient."

"I know."

...

That night Meredith had fed Kaylee and herself dinner. She was feeding Cooper now while Kaylee was watching a movie. Kaylee was bathed and dressed ready for bed. She was almost asleep. Meredith burped Cooper and changed his clothes and laid him down in bed. She came back downstairs and Kaylee was asleep. She carried her upstairs and laid her down in bed.

Meredith cleaned up downstairs, had a shower and went to bed. She laid down. After her shower Derek not being there felt weird. It was going to be like this for a little while until Derek's work settled down. She closed her eyes and fell asleep.

...

The next day Derek's day was slower again. He had just met Meredith for lunch and was paged away. He had a quick goodbye to Meredith and the kids and left. It was 911 to the pit. He joined his resident and other interns to prepare for the incoming trauma.

When the ambulances pulled into bays. Derek gets assigned to 7 year old girl who was hit by a car while she was chasing her dog. The dog got away from her and she chased it onto the road and was hit by an oncoming car. The oncoming car was then t-boned by another car.

Derek had taken her into trauma bay 2. Richard was checking her over.

"Shepherd can you take her up to CT?" Richard says.

"Yes sir."

Derek wheels her up to CT to get some scans done.

...

After the scans they had taken her into surgery for her ruptured spleen and all her other injuries. Derek was standing back watching while Richard helped save the little girl. It brought Derek back to 4 years ago when Jackson was hit by the car.

"Dr Shepherd is something up?" Richard asks.

"No it just reminds me of Jackson's accident."

"Sure does. He fought it and survived and so will this little girl."

"She sure will."

After the surgery the girl was still asleep. Her mum showed up but she had to leave because of work. The girls name was Ashleigh. She was still asleep from the surgery. Derek was writing in her chart when he heard a noise. He looked at Ashleigh and she was waking up and fighting the intubation.

"Hold on sweetie. Let me get a nurse to help me with the tube."

A nurse walks in and helps remove the tube. She leaves Derek with her.

"Hi Ashleigh. I'm Doctor Shepherd. Do you remember me from earlier?"

"No."

"That's okay. You had a pretty big surgery. You need your rest."

"Where's my mum?"

"She had to leave I think."

She starts to cry. Derek grabs onto her hand and tries to calm her down.

"Hey Ash it's alright."

He wraps his arms around her and hugs her trying to calm her down.

Her sobs quiet down.

"My mum is always like this. Work comes before everything."

"It's okay sweetie. Can I ask you something?" She nods her head. "Were you home alone when you got hit by the car?"

"Yes but it was only going to be for 10 minutes. She got called into work and my older sister was on her way over."

"Okay. Are you tired?"

"Yes but I can't sleep."

"Well when my daughter can't sleep I sing to her."

"You have a daughter?"

"Yes I do. A son as well. She is 3 years old and my son is only 1 week old."

"Don't you wish you were at home with them instead of at work?"

"Yes I do. Especially my baby boy. He was only born last Monday."

"Is he cute?"

"Of course he is. He is gorgeous just like his mum."

"Can you sing to me like you sing to your daughter?"

"Sure Ash. Now this is her bedtime song. It was used on my brother and sister in laws to get them to sleep and now it is my girls' favourite song."

"Okay."

Derek starts singing to Ashleigh. It actually does get her to sleep. When she is asleep he finished the song when a girl walks into the room. She sits down on the chair and listens to Derek singing. He turns and faces her.

"Hi. Who are you?"

"I'm her older sister, Hanna."

"Hi Hanna I'm Doctor Shepherd. I'm sorry about the song but it got her to sleep."

"No its fine. Your good with kids I must say."

"Well it helps that I have a 3 year old and a 1 week old at home. When my 3 year old can't sleep I sing to her."

"You already have kids. You look too young to have them."

"I know. Me and my wife had her early. Then we just welcomed the other one last week so it helps. Think being a father helps connect with patients better. Also I have a lot of nieces and nephews so that helps."

"Well that sounds nice."

"Anyway I'm going to leave now. My shift is about to finish so I'm going home to see my wife and kids."

"Okay Doctor Shepherd. Night."

"Night Hanna."

Derek leaves the room and heads down to the locker room. Mark and all the other interns are there. They first day is over. He starts changing from his scrubs.

"Hey Shepherd we're going to the bar across the street for a few drinks. Would you like to join us?" Peter asks.

"No I'm going home."

"To your wife and kids?"

"Yes I am."

"Okay dude. That's fine. See you around."

"Sure Peter." Derek grabs his bag. "You going home Mark?"

"No I'm going for drinks with everyone."

"Okay. Well I'm off then. See you tomorrow."

"Sure Derek."

Derek leaves the locker room saying goodbye to Arizona and Callie.

He gets in his car and drives home. He knows by the time he gets home Kaylee would be in bed and she would have been asleep for a few hours. He pulls into the driveway and goes inside. The light is on in the hallway but the rest of the house is dark. He climbs the stairs.

Ducks his head into Kaylee's room and goes and kisses her forehead.

"Sweet dreams Kaylee." He whispers.

He stands back up and goes to leave.

"Daddy?" He hears.

He turns around.

"Hey sweetie what are you doing up?"

"I wanted to wait for you to get home."

"Oh that's sweet. You could have waited until the morning."

"But I miss you too much."

"Okay. Can I tell you something?"

"Yes."

"I sang the lullaby song to a little girl today."

"Did she like it?"

"I got her to sleep."

"Can you sing the song to me?"

"Of course."

He starts singing to her and she falls asleep. He leaves he room and goes down to his. He opens the door and Meredith is awake and feeding Cooper. She looks up and a smile spreads across her face.

"Hello your home."

"I sure am. How's my beautiful wife?"

"I'm good. Pretty tired. Just waiting for this little one to fall asleep."

He kisses her and sits down beside her.

"How was your first shift?"

"Alright. Today a 7 year old came in after being hit by a car. She was home alone and chased her dog out onto the road."

"Oh no. How is she now?"

"She's good after the surgery's she had to have but she is a tough girl. The sad thing though is that her mum is more interested in her job then her daughter."

"I hate that."

"What?"

"How some people have kids and chose their jobs over them." Meredith says.

"I know me too." He says as he looks at her. "We won't be like that. Hopefully not."

"We won't. We will make time for them and to be their parents not leave them like my mum did."

"Of course we will. Anyway I smell so I'm having a shower."

"Okay."

He goes and gets into the shower.

Ten minutes later he walks out of the shower, kisses Cooper goodnight and climbs into bed next to Meredith.

"I missed you last night." She says.

"I know me too."

"Yesterday when I was in the elevator there were these two female doctors started talking about you and how you are married with kids and how whoever is married to you is one lucky lady."

"That lady is."

"Yeah Kaylee blew our cover though."

"Yeah well I got asked to go for drinks tonight and I passed on it. I don't think they get that I have a family at home."

"You could go for drinks though. I don't mind."

"I know that but I wanted to come home and spend the night with you instead of being out drinking. I have plenty of time to drink with them."

"Yeah I know. I'm glad you are home."

"Me too."

"I love you."

"Love you to Meredith."

**What'd you think? Let me know. Next chapter will be Derek's birthday with him leaving Meredith at home with the kids and it is hell for Meredith.**


	4. I Feel Like A Zombie

**So here is the next chapter. I was going to post earlier but work has held me back. So here it is, it is split into two chapters.**

**This is Derek's birthday and he doesn't spend it at home with Mer when she needs him.**

**Enjoy…**

Cooper's cries woke Derek and Meredith that morning. It was a Sunday morning and Derek had the day off. Derek got up and took him out of the bassinet and brought him back to bed with him and Meredith. Cooper was laid down in between Meredith and Derek. Meredith laid her hand on his chest and soothed his cries.

"Just hold on buddy I'll feed you in a second." Meredith says. "I just need a few more minutes."

Cooper had been up every 3 hours for a feed now. They hadn't been getting much sleep of a night.

They got 5 more minutes in when Kaylee came running into their bedroom and jumped up onto the bed.

"Happy birthday daddy." She says.

"Thanks sweetie."

Cooper then starts crying and their rest goes away. Meredith picks him up and starts feeding him.

"Do you get breakfast in bed today?"

"Probably not but we can go downstairs and make some."

"Okay then. Can we have waffles today?"

"Anything for you baby girl. Let's get a start on them."

Derek carries her downstairs on his back and they start cooking. Meredith stays upstairs feeding Cooper. She feels like a zombie. She hadn't slept in 3 days.

She finished feeding him, burped him and got him back to sleep. She took him downstairs with her and laid him down in the cradle hoping he would sleep for more than 3 hours so she could eat, shower and have another sleep before he woke again.

Derek set a plate in front of her with breakfast on it.

"Thanks."

"No worries."

She dug into her breakfast and brought his presents downstairs for him to open. He got a new fishing rod and some other fishing gear. Kaylee gave him a picture she drew of him. He loved it so much that he pinned it up on the fridge.

"I'm going to have a shower if you don't mind looking after her." Meredith says.

"No its fine."

She goes and takes her shower. With Derek being at work for almost 12 hours a day was hard on her. She had to take care of the kids herself for most of the day and with Cooper she couldn't really hand him off to a babysitter because of his separation issues. He was only 3 weeks old and was already having separation issues. Meredith was exhausted. She had to chase around a three year old, look after a 3 week old and try and do everything else. It was exhausting. Kaylee wasn't as bad as Cooper at this age. She hasn't been bad at all. She was happy to be with anyone. Cooper was different.

After her shower she went and laid down in bed to try and reenergise herself.

...

She woke 2 hours later. She looked at the clock and realised that it was 10 o'clock and not 8. She got up out of bed and went downstairs. Mark was over and holding onto Cooper while Derek was making coffee.

"Hi Mark."

"Sleeping beauty has awoken."

"Shut up. I'm really tired."

"Shepherd kept you up all night."

"No Cooper did."

"What this little boy. I wouldn't believe it. He seems so sweet and innocent."

"His not when it is 2 o'clock in the morning and he is crying because he is not with me."

"Separation issues?"

"Yeah."

"He'll grow out of it."

"I know."

"Um Mer, Mark and I were going to go out for a bit."

"Okay sure. How long do you think you will be?"

"A few hours."

"Have fun."

Derek kisses her.

"I love you."

"I know."

Mark hands Cooper back over and Meredith settles him over her shoulder. She was stuck at home with the kids again.

"Hey mummy can we go to the park today?"

"The weather isn't very nice outside sweetie."

"Well can we go when the weather is nice?"

"Of course."

She was holding Derek's words of only being a few hours. So she counted the hours past for when he would get home.

...

"So we are going to watch a baseball match and then go out and hang."

"Okay but I only want to be a few hours like I told Mer."

"Dude she will be fine if it is more than a few hours."

"You heard her earlier."

"Trust me. Woman are fine when it comes to children and looking after them."

"But."

"She'll be fine."

Mark drives them to the match and they watch the game. Derek keeps checking his watch throughout the game. Mark gets irritated so he takes it off him and keeps his watch. Derek finally got settled into the game and started to enjoy it. They ran into a few guys from work who invited them to go for drinks afterwards. They went off to Joe's and drank and hung out for the afternoon.

...

After Derek left Meredith went into the lounge room and sat with Kaylee for some time with her. Kaylee had her favourite movie going Toy Story. She had seen it so many times Meredith could say everything word for word but still Meredith loved the movie though when it came out and she still does so it didn't bother her that much. Cooper was asleep on her shoulder. Meredith got up and laid him down in the cradle. She sat back down and got 5 minutes in until Cooper started crying again.

She groaned as she got back up and took him out of the cradle.

"Coop what is wrong baby boy?" Meredith says to him.

She rubs his back as he is over her shoulder. She walks up and down the hallway trying to get him back to sleep.

He finally does and instead of putting him back in the cradle she grabs the carrier and puts it on and puts him in. It's the only way he will sleep.

She starts the house work. The dishes, the clothes, the kitchen, the bathroom and every other room that needs cleaning.

When Meredith was doing the washing Kaylee walked into the laundry.

"Mummy, mummy can you play with me please?"

"Kaylee I'm busy. I have to clean the house for daddy's party tonight."

"But mummy I want you to play with me."

"Kaylee I can't."

"Why Mummy. Since the baby has been here you don't play with me anymore. I hate the baby and I hate you." She says and hits Meredith and leaves as fast as she can.

This reminded her of Charlie when Kaylee was brought home.

"Kaylee come here."

She doesn't respond to her and walks off. This is going to be harder than all the other days.

Meredith lays Cooper down in the cradle and goes to find Kaylee. She isn't anywhere in the lounge room. She searches in every room for her. She reaches Kaylee's bedroom and can't find her. She thinks she hears Cooper. Meredith leaves him while she finds Kaylee in which she does. She finds her in the study sitting facing the wall. Meredith moves closer and realises that she is drawing all over the walls with sharpie.

"Kaylee what are you doing? Stop that." Meredith says as she takes the sharpie away from her.

Kaylee starts screaming.

"Kaylee stop screaming you are going to wake Cooper."

"I don't care." She yells at the top of her lungs. She starts screaming even louder.

Meredith grabs her arms and bends down to her level.

"Kaylee can you please be quiet for mummy. Do it for mummy. Please baby girl."

Kaylee's eyes look glassy but she has that evil streak running through them. The blue eyes look black. She is definitely angry and Meredith is not her favourite person.

"No." She says angry. She pulls her arms away hitting Meredith again. She leaves the room and Meredith stays in the room sighing.

Cooper is now screaming, Kaylee is also chucking a tantrum and screaming at the top of her lungs. Meredith wished Derek was home by now.

Meredith goes to get Cooper and calm him down. Meredith needs some help. She calls for Jackson and Jasmine to come over and help with Kaylee.

10 minutes later Meredith is pulling her hair out. Kaylee is still misbehaving. There is a knock at the door and Jackson and Jasmine are there.

"Hi guys thanks for coming. Kaylee is making me want to tear my hair out."

"Where is she?" Jackson asks.

"Up in her room."

"Okay I'll go and talk to her."

"Thank you. I need help for the dinner tonight so thank you."

"Jackson you talk to Kaylee and I'll give Mer a hand."

"Thank you Jas."

"No problem."

Jackson runs upstairs to Kaylee's room while Jasmine helps Meredith with the house work.

Jackson walks inside her room and finds her sitting on the floor looking through photo albums.

"Hey Kaylee." Jackson says.

She doesn't look up at him. Jackson sits down next to her.

"I remember that day. It was the first holiday we took when you were born. A lot of stuff happened that weekend. Three days away turned into a week's stay." Jackson says.

Kaylee turns to the next photo.

"That day was a fun holiday. It was your first proper holiday. You had so much fun being on the beach and near the water. Even though you were only 4 months old you were having a ball watching us playing on the beach. I miss our family holidays like that. I take it for granted all the time I spent with your mum. You shouldn't be angry with her. She is trying her hardest to look after you and Cooper. Cooper is having trouble adjusting. He is different to when you were a baby." He says to her. The best to explain to a three year old.

He pushes the curls behind her ear and she looks up at him. She has calmed down a lot more.

"How about I take you out to the land. Give your mummy a break and you get to play with me."

"Okay Jacko."

"Let's go then."

Jackson leaves with Kaylee and takes her out to the land.

Jasmine helps Meredith with the cooking and cleaning.

"So Kaylee is not adapting to Cooper?" Jasmine asks.

"No she isn't."

"That must suck."

"It sure does and because he is having separation issues I can't leave him by himself for no more than 5 minutes and Derek isn't here either so it's hard and he can't look after her for me."

"You're trying that's all that anybody can do."

"I know but she said that she hated me and Cooper."

"I'm sure that will go away. Tonight when it is her bedtime don't read her a story until the two of you talk."

"But she is only 3."

"Well try your best. If she doesn't then don't read her story and leave."

"You're only 16 and you're giving me advice on my kids. Have you considered doing child care or teaching?"

"Yes I have. It's a toss-up between day care and teaching."

"Well you are going to be great at whatever you choose. I might have to pass Cooper off to you when I need some rest."

"Do you need a break now? You can go and lay down for a bit and take a break."

"You sure you will be able to manage with him?"

"Of course."

Meredith passes him over Jasmine.

"I'm going for a nap. Come and get me if you need anything or if he wakes up."

"Go. I know where to find you."

"Good."

Meredith goes upstairs and Jasmine looks after Cooper.

...

3 hours later Jackson had brought Kaylee home and she had seemed to calm down. On the trip home she fell asleep and had been for the past hour. Jackson and Jasmine left to get ready for the dinner tonight. Meredith had fed Cooper and he was asleep again. Jasmine and her cleaned everything and the cooking was going to be started when Carolyn came over.

But Derek still wasn't home. He said a few hours and it had been almost 6. She was starting to get pissed that he wasn't home yet and she would definitely be having a few strong words to him when he got home. Kaylee was now awake and instead of talking to Meredith she gave her the cold shoulder and was playing up again. Meredith was getting sick of it.

Meredith was in the kitchen when Kaylee walked in. Kaylee started searching the cupboards.

"Are you thirsty sweetie."

She didn't answer and slammed the doors every time she closed them. She wasn't looking for anything particularly. She was just looking for something to bang to wake Cooper up again.

"Kaylee can you please stop."

She didn't answer and began slamming the doors again. Meredith was sick of it and went into the lounge room. Kaylee opened the cupboard and pulled out a few pots and pans and set them up like drums. She found a spoon and started banging the pans to make as much noise as she could.

Meredith was getting annoyed at her and went and stopped her. Taking the spoon away. Kaylee stood up and grabbed anything else she could. Meredith stopped her every time. Kaylee started her temper tantrum and sat there with her arms crossed. Kaylee tested Meredith's patience again when Kaylee got another spoon and began hitting them again. Meredith was sick of it now.

"Fine make your music. I don't think daddy will be happy when he gets home. I'm leaving you to it. Have fun." Meredith says.

She leaves Kaylee down in the kitchen and picks Cooper up and takes him upstairs to her room.

An hour later she hears the doorbell ring. She gets up and heads downstairs where she sees that the whole house is trashed.

"Kaylee." She says under her breath.

She opens the door to Carolyn.

"Hi."

"Hello Meredith. You feeling okay because you don't seem to well."

"I'm just exhausted. Kaylee is driving me insane and Cooper cries every time I leave him."

"Oh where is Kaylee by the way?"

"I don't know I left her to do whatever she wanted and by the looks of it she trashed the house."

Carolyn peaks her head over Meredith's shoulder to see the trashed house.

"Okay. You go and do whatever and I will make a start on dinner." Carolyn says.

"Thank you." Crying is then heard. "And I'll go and get him."

Meredith goes towards the stairs. She takes each step slowly and reaches the top of the stairs. She then takes slow steps towards her bedroom. She opens the door and sees Kaylee standing over the bassinet. Meredith doesn't know what she is doing. She notices Kaylee's hands are in the bassinet and Cooper's crying has stopped.

"Kaylee what are you doing?" Meredith asks as she walks over to the bassinet.

She reaches it and sees that Cooper is awake and just looking at Kaylee. Meredith also realises that Kaylee is singing to him. The singing has soothed him. She finishes her singing.

"I heard him crying mummy so I came and sang to him."

"Well it worked." Meredith takes Cooper out and sits down on the bed. "Come here baby girl."

Kaylee sits down next to Meredith.

"Do you want to hold him?" Meredith asks.

"Okay mummy."

Meredith passes Cooper to Kaylee and she holds onto him.

"I'm sorry that I yelled at you today sweetie."

"That's okay mummy. I understand."

"Do you?"

"Not really but Cooper cries a lot and he needs you a lot."

"Yeah he does. He is different to when you were a baby. We could leave you to sleep for 10 hours. Cooper he can't be left alone for 20 minutes before he starts crying. He needs his mummy but I'm hoping it will only be a few weeks. It could just be a weekly thing but he needs me at the moment and I am sorry for not playing with you and for yelling at you."

"That's okay mummy."

"I do love you remember that."

"I will."

"Nanny is here. Why don't you go downstairs and see her and I'll feed him."

"Okay mummy."

Meredith takes Cooper back into her arms and Kaylee jumps off the bed and walks towards the door.

"Kaylee you forgetting something?"

"What?"

"Come here."

Kaylee walks towards her. Meredith kisses her and hugs her.

"That."

"Sorry I forget."

"That's okay but next time don't forget."

"I won't mummy."

"I know."

"Mummy I also don't hate you."

"I know."

Kaylee leaves the room and Meredith starts feeding Cooper.

...

Later that night everyone was at the house apart from Derek and Mark. They had all been there for almost 2 hours waiting for them to show up. Meredith left hundreds of messages on his phone but he hadn't answered. She was getting mad that he hadn't shown yet. When he walked through the door she was going to have words with him.

She was in the kitchen getting Kaylee a drink. She was pouring it into her Sippy cup when Cristina and Izzie walked in. Izzie had Cooper asleep on her shoulder.

"So Derek is still not answering his phone?" Cristina asks.

"No he's not. It's giving me the shits. He said he would only be a few hours and it is now almost 7.30. He left at 10 o'clock. He better come home now before I break a bone or two of his."

"Mer calm down. He is with Mark. What do you expect?" Izzie says.

"I know. Sorry I'm just so frazzled from this whole day today. It wasn't easy."

"I know. Look at the Brightside we have school tomorrow." Cristina says.

"I don't want to go. I can't leave Cooper by himself."

"Bring him with you. There's a girl at school and she is bringing her baby to class." Izzie says.

"Okay fine I'll do that let's just hope that I make it."

"You will." Cristina reassures her. "Can we start eating now cause I'm starving."

"Sure."

They serve the food and everyone starts eating.

**So what did you think? Please comment and let me know. **

**Next chapter I will upload in a few days. **

**Derek comes home with Mark and trouble is brewing.**


	5. I Am Sorry, I Should Have Been Here

**Here is the next chapter. I thought that I better update since I go back to school tomorrow and I will be busy for a few days so here is the next chapter. It takes straight after the next**

**Enjoy...**

They are sitting down at the table eating. When Derek and Mark walk into the dining room.

"Hey guys sorry we're late." Derek says.

Meredith turns around and looks at him with disappointment in her eyes. He looks at everyone except Meredith. He sits down at the other end of the table and he starts eating.

"Derek where have you been?" Carolyn asks.

"Um we lost track of time."

Meredith stands up from her chair.

"Derek can I see you please."

He just nods his head and follows her into the kitchen.

She crosses her arms across her chests and Derek cowers into the bench.

"I'm sorry I am late." He says.

"No don't talk. Let me do the talking." She says. "I have had one hell of a day and I need to do the talking so just be quiet."

"Okay."

"You said you would only be a few hours. 9 hours later you are home. Kaylee has been driving me crazy with her crying and playing up. Cooper has not left my side all day each time I put him down he cried. Then I would get him to bed and Kaylee would start mucking up and do something that would make me yell and scream and before I know it Cooper would be awake. I haven't had a minute to myself because all day I've been running after Kaylee and been yelling at her all day. That was my day Derek. Looking after our kids and yelling at Kaylee." She says mad. "And your day was probably drinking, fishing and more drinking. You had the most relaxed day ever while I was stuck at home yelling and screaming. You know how much I hate yelling at the Kaylee. She doesn't deserve it. She is a great kid and I had to take all my anger out on her." She says yelling at him.

"Meredith I..."

"No you don't get to talk yet." She says. "I also had to call my younger brother in to help me. He took her out to the land and Jasmine stayed and helped me organise the party. Once they left I left Kaylee by herself cause I needed a break and I saw that the house was trashed when I came back down. I also caught her drawing all over the walls. It was a hell of a day and I thought that it would go away when you walked in the door and you did but it wasn't a few hours later it was almost 10 hours later. Derek I thought you were better than that as well. At least have the decency to call and tell me that you would be late." She yells again. "And it was also your first day off. I wanted to spend it with you. Not you go and spend it with Mark. Also you missed a day with your kids. Kaylee was looking forward to you playing with her as well."

"Mer I'm an intern. My time isn't my own. This is the first day that I have had off in 2 weeks. I needed to get out and be myself for the day. So going out with Mark was the best thing that I have done."

"So spending time with Mark is better than being at home with your wife and kids."

"No I didn't mean that."

"So what did you mean?"

"I meant that I needed to be out. I spend 12 hours a day at the hospital maybe even longer with people yelling at me. Doctors yelling at me. I didn't want to be here listening to the yelling and screaming going on between you and Kaylee."

"Unbelievable. You decide that your best friend is better than Kaylee, Cooper and me. If you're like that than why don't you go and move in with him."

She says as she turns to leave the kitchen when he grabs her arm and pulls her back.

"Meredith I don't want to. I love you. I also know that it has been a rough couple of weeks with the new baby but what you have told me I didn't want to be here hearing you yelling at her. I put up with that enough."

"Derek the only reason I am like this is because I am exhausted. I haven't slept for 3 days straight. I needed you here to help me with the kids. You can't do much with Cooper. You can't leave him alone. So he was attached to me all day. Kaylee wasn't happy so she would yell and muck up. I gave up and left her alone. I couldn't fight with her anymore. So I left her by herself while I rested. Derek I shouldn't have left her alone but I had no fight left in me. I needed you today to help me out. I have been looking after our kids and it is exhausting. All I ask for is your next day off please stay here and help me not go out drinking." She says angry.

Kaylee is standing at the doorway watching them fight.

"Meredith we can get help. You do know that."

"I don't want a nanny. I want my husband. Our kids need their dad. Not a nanny."

"Fine no nanny. So don't complain about not having help next time." He snaps.

Cristina goes to the door.

"Kaylee come with me." She says.

Meredith and Derek stop fighting and look at Kaylee who is looking upset. They turn back to each other.

"I should be allowed to complain about you not being there." Meredith says lowering her voice.

"Meredith I try my best at being home. This is my 2nd week as an intern. You did also say you would be fine being at home with them."

"Derek I thought I would. I thought a lot of things but it has flipped and done the reverse."

"So it's not my fault."

"I'm not saying it is. I'm just saying that some plans don't go to work the way you think they do."

"Yeah I know that."

"Derek can I ask what else you did today?"

"We went to a baseball game and went drinking for the rest of the day."

"Well I think you ought to know this. Well Kaylee had about 3 temper tantrums today. The first one she said that she hated me. The second she didn't say much. And the third she was silent as well. I put up with them while you did the ball game and the drinking."

"She said that she hated you?"

"Yes but she apologised for that."

"Good. Meredith I'm sorry for not being here today and for not being a good husband and father. I am truly sorry."

"I know."

He pulls her in for a hug and they share a kiss. They pull away.

"Now go and apologise to your family and friends and go and talk to Kaylee." Meredith says.

He leaves the room and Meredith stands there. Trying to calm down from their argument. Mark walks into the kitchen with a crying Cooper.

"He was crying so I suspect he wants his mum."

Meredith takes him into her arms.

"Mark I thought you knew better. Derek is a father. He should be at home with his kids on these types of days. If he isn't then he is going to miss out on seeing his kids growing up."

"I thought you were fine with it."

"Not really. I would have been if it was for a few hours like he said but not half the day."

"I'm sorry but he does also need his days when he isn't at home with his kids. He needs to be out drinking and watching ball games. You can't keep him locked up here on his days off."

"I know but do you think that I don't want my kids not knowing their father."

"It is going to be the same next year for you when you start as an intern. You won't have a day off in 2 weeks. So your kids aren't going to know who their mother is."

"Yes they will. I will find the time."

"Meredith you don't have time as an intern. I also grew up without a mother and father and I'm fine."

"No one is fine. Everyone has their own baggage."

"Yes but I don't. I got rid of my baggage."

"Mark you haven't gotten rid of it. I'm sure when it is Christmas and birthday's you wish to have them there to celebrate but they preferred to be at some country club socialising."

"Yeah whatever. If you want a high power career then I don't think you deserve kids. That's all I'm saying." He says as he leaves the kitchen.

Meredith knew that some apologising would be needed later.

"Come on Coop. Let me get you fed and back to bed."

...

Later that night everyone had left. The night was a bit of a disaster but they turned it around and didn't go the way Meredith had planned but she didn't care in the end.

They had put Kaylee to bed and she was fast asleep. Cooper was also asleep in his bed. Meredith and Derek were hoping for a few hours of alone time before he woke.

While Meredith was putting him to sleep. Derek drew a bath and lit a bunch of candles for the two of them to relax in and a way of saying sorry for her shitty day.

Meredith was in the tub soaking when Derek walked in.

"So I know that champagne is out of the question so I thought that orange juice was even better." He says as he hands her the glass.

"Thank you. You can come and join me if you want."

"If you want me to."

"Of course I do. I think we both need some relaxing."

Derek drops his clothes and climbs in behind her.

"I bit Mark's head off today." Meredith tells him.

"Like literally?"

"No not literally but I yelled at him for no reason."

"I'm sure there was a reason behind it."

"Kind of but he said that if we want high powered careers then we don't deserve kids. Do you believe that?"

"I believe that we can have both. We can have a bunch of kids and still be doctors. Mark is carrying around baggage from his childhood because his parents left him all the time for their jobs and the country clubs. He is jealous that he didn't have what we have. We are going to do both and be there for our kids unlike Mark's parents."

"You promise that we will."

"Of course I do. I kind of wish that we had the kids later in our careers when they were securer and not when we are just starting but I wouldn't trade being a dad now for anything."

"Same. Even if I do yell and scream and miss out on parties and sleep I still wouldn't trade it for those moments when they start smiling."

"And when they start crawling, taking their first words and talking for the first time. Even those moments that sound pathetic when you talk about it to other people but they make you smile."

"I know. I can't wait until Cooper starts those moments."

"I know but I'm going to miss out on a lot of these moments."

"I'll tape them and take plenty of photo's of them don't you worry. I'm sure you can cover your locker in all the photos I take of him."

"I will."

He starts kissing her neck.

"You know that I would like to make today up to you and you also have forgotten one birthday present."

"And what is that?"

"My birthday sex." He whispers in her ear.

"Oh yes that how could I forget."

"I think I might have to punish you for forgetting."

"If you say so Dr Shepherd."

...

The next morning the alarm sounded at 5.30. Cooper had slept through the whole night so Meredith and Derek got a good night's rest. Well not really they shared a lot of makeup sex and birthday sex. It had also been the first time they had engaged in sex in a few months. Meredith was facing Derek.

"Morning Mer." Derek says.

"Morning. What time are you going in this morning?"

I have to be there before 7."

"Okay then."

"Cooper slept all night which is good."

"I know. Maybe he has gotten over the separation issues."

"Maybe. You should come and meet me for lunch today." Derek says to her.

"That sounds like an idea but my lunch break is at 12 today."

"So I'll meet you at 12 in the cafeteria." He says. "I'm going to start getting ready."

He gets up off the bed and goes towards the door. He walks back towards the bed and lays down on top of Meredith and kisses her long and hard. He gets up starts getting changed.

"What was that all about?"

"Aren't I allowed to kiss my wife?"

"You are but it was so passionate."

"I know. Something new."

"Well I like new."

"I know you do." He kisses her again. "Go back to sleep I'll wake you before I leave."

"Okay."

He leaves the room and Meredith closes her eyes.

She gets half an hour in when she hears Kaylee whispering in her ear.

"Mummy."

Meredith opens her eyes and looks at her.

"What's wrong?"

"I wanted to say that I love you."

"I know and so do I."

"You're not mad at me from yesterday?"

"No I'm not. How could I be angry at my baby girl?"

"I know but I did play up a lot and was naughty."

"I know but that was for attention. Which I should have been giving you but I didn't."

"It's okay mummy. Can we go to the park today?"

"I wish we could but I have to go to class today."

"Oh."

"But if the weather is nice after class I will take you."

"Okay mummy."

Kaylee lays down next to Meredith. Derek walks into the room. He has Cooper with him. He checked on him on the way through into the bedroom. He saw he was awake and brought him into the bedroom and laid him down in front of Kaylee.

"Is he awake?" Meredith asks.

"Sure is. I'm going now. I'll see you later." He says kissing her. "Bye Kaylee I'll see you tonight."

"Bye daddy."

"Bye." Meredith says.

He leaves the room and Meredith plays with Cooper's hands.

"Mummy when I'm older do I have to save people's lives?"

"You don't have to. It's your choice. What do you want to be?"

"I want to be a fairy when I grow up."

"A fairy. Why a fairy?"

"Because they are pretty and they fly everywhere."

"I know. Why don't you choose something else?"

"I don't know I'll have to think about it."

"Well you can be anything you want."

"Can I really?"

"Of course you can."

"Did you want to save lives since you were little?"

"No I wanted to be a teacher or an astronaut."

"That would be fun to be with the stars and the moon."

"I know. How about when it gets warmer I take you out to the land and we can watch the stars and the moon."

"At dad's land?"

"Of course."

"Good."

Meredith looks at the clock.

"We better start getting ready."

Kaylee sits up and so does Meredith.

"Why don't you go downstairs and I'll be down in just a tick to get you breakfast."

"Okay mummy. Take your time."

Kaylee climbs off the bed and leaves the room. Meredith picks Cooper up.

"Morning baby boy." She says kissing his head. "I better change your nappy."

After getting the kids fed and dressed. She got herself ready as quickly as possible. Cooper was in the bouncy chair while Kaylee was watching TV. Meredith had gotten herself ready and got the kids bags ready.

"Okay Kaylee turn the TV off and we can get going."

Kaylee turns it off and heads to the front door. Meredith gets Cooper and puts him in the capsule. Throws her bags over her shoulder and she leaves locking the front door and gets the kids strapped in.

She dropped Kaylee off at Carolyn's and then headed to school. She grabbed the capsule and the bag and headed inside. This was her first week back since she went on leave. She saw Izzie and Cristina and walked over towards them.

"Hey guys."

"Hey Meredith." Izzie says.

Meredith sits the capsule up on the desk and Izzie gushed over Cooper.

"He has gotten so big."

"You saw him last night Iz." Cristina says.

"I know but I swear he has doubled in size."

"Yeah whatever." Cristina says.

"He slept all night last night."

"That's good."

"Sure is. I haven't slept in 3 days because of him not sleeping but last night I slept."

"No you didn't you and Derek did the McNasty all night." Cristina says.

"We did not."

"Oh you's so did. You can't lie to me Meredith."

"Fine we did. But it was makeup sex and because it was his birthday as well."

"Was it good?" Izzie asks.

"Of course but because we hadn't done it in ages it was amazing."

"So there was no sleeping at all last night?"

"Nope I'm going to pay for it today though."

"You sure are." Izzie says.

"Poor kids. You two are going to scar them for life the way you are carrying on." Cristina says. "Before you know it you will be pregnant again."

They stay there talking when their professor for their first class heads towards them.

"Meredith welcome back." He says.

"Oh thank you Sir."

"Is this the little boy?"

"Sure is. My little Cooper."

"Well he is gorgeous. Are you bringing him to class?"

"Yes I am."

"Okay well hopefully he becomes the best surgeon in Seattle."

"He is only 4 weeks old but I'm sure he will be a good surgeon."

He just laughs.

"Anyway class is about to start so I'll see you then."

"Okay sure sir."

He walks away.

"Let's get to class then." Izzie says.

...

The rest of the day pasts and it is the end of school. She was glad to be leaving. She got stopped so many times to be asked about Cooper and heard everyone's congratulations.

She had just picked Kaylee up and they were on their way home.

"Mummy nanna said that it is supposed to snow today."

"Yeah I heard. I'm hoping it does."

"Have I seen the snow before?"

"Well when you were still in my tummy was the last time it snowed. That was four years ago. So I'm hoping that it does snow. I love the snow. It is so romantic and just amazing. It used to snow from the end of May all the way to the end of August."

"It's July now isn't it?"

"Yes."

"But it hasn't come yet. When will it?"

"Hopefully tonight."

**What'd you think? Let me know please. **

**I'll try updating regularly but it might not be so I might change it to weekly updates.**

**Next chapter is the snow. **


	6. The Best Dog Ever

**So here is the next chapter. It is the snow and someone close to Meredith dies.**

**Enjoy…**

Derek arrived home later then he thought that night. He arrived just in time to see Kaylee before she went to bed. They tucked her in and she was fast asleep. Derek reheated his dinner and him and Meredith sat in the dining room talking about their days. Cooper was being fed by Meredith.

"So Kaylee is all good to go to the crèche tomorrow morning. They have plenty of spaces there so if you don't want to take Cooper to class then drop him off cause I put him down as well."

"Okay sounds good. It was actually good having him there because I wasn't worrying about him and he was there in my sights."

"Were the teachers understanding about him?"

"Yeah they all were apart from one of them. He was really rude to me and mean. Cooper was asleep in his class the whole lesson but Mr Longings was just mean to me and would pick on me on every single question. If I got it wrong he would say wells that's what you get for getting pregnant and missing out on school."

"He is like that anyway. When I had him he was exactly the same towards me about being a dad already."

"I wonder why he is like that."

"I don't know."

"But all my other teachers were really nice and came and talked to me and if I had to feed him they would wait until I came back to start the lecture again."

"Well that is good."

They sit talking to each other. Meredith starts burping Cooper and settles him on her shoulder to get him to sleep when Derek points out that it is snowing.

"Hey look its snowing."

Meredith gets up off the chair and moves towards the window and looks at the snow falling.

"The first snow in 4 years. It's so beautiful." Meredith says.

"I know. It is also very romantic."

"Remember the last time it snowed. I was pregnant with Kaylee and we got stuck out at the hut. We got snowed in so we stayed there. You said it got cold of a night and that you were there if I needed you. I said that I wouldn't but I did. We snuggled up that night just as friends to keep each other warm." She says smiling.

"Yes and we had that snow fight which I kicked your arse in."

"You did not."

"I did so."

"Kaylee was hoping it snowed tonight and it did. She is going to be upset that she missed watching it."

"She can play in it in the morning." He says.

They stand there watching it fall when they hear small footsteps behind them.

"Mummy daddy it's snowing." She says.

"Yes it is. What are you doing up?" Derek asks.

"I just woke up and looked out the window and saw the snow falling. Can I go and play in it now?"

"Not now. There isn't much on the ground to play in. Also it is late. You should be in bed." Meredith says.

"Can I play in it tomorrow?"

"Of course. If you go to bed now then tomorrow will be here quicker and you can play in it." Derek says.

"Okay."

"I'll take you up to bed." Meredith says. "Here hold onto your son."

She passed Cooper off to Derek and takes Kaylee upstairs to bed.

Meredith is back down 5 minutes later.

"She went out like a light."

"Good. I think it's time we went off to bed as well. I'm tired from last night."

"I know same here."

They walked up to bed turning all the lights off on the way up. Cooper was asleep in his bassinet and Meredith and Derek lay in each other's arms.

"I will probably be paged to go into the hospital. The snow is pretty dangerous and brings in a lot of patients."

"I know. You have to drive safely to the hospital when you do go."

"I will."

They kissed each other goodnight and went to bed.

They woke a few hours later to Derek's pager going off. He gets up and starts changing.

"You have to go?"

"Yeah 911." He says. "I'll be back before you know it." He kisses her and leaves.

...

Morning comes and he isn't home yet. It must have been a pretty big trauma. Kaylee comes bursting into her bedroom.

"Can we play in the snow now mummy?" Meredith opens her eyes and smiles at her.

"Of course."

Meredith climbs out of bed and goes into Kaylee's bedroom and gets her changed into warm clothes. She looks like a little Eskimo in all the layers she is wearing. Meredith dresses Cooper in more layers and he looks even cuter. She takes them downstairs and she grabs the camera and the video camera and takes them out to the backyard. They had a huge snowfall last night. It is at least a foot deep. Meredith knew that today was her day at home with the kids. Class would be cancelled so she got the day off to play in the snow. Kaylee went down the back steps and fell into the snow. She literally disappeared. She then came back up and smiled at Meredith.

They played for an hour in the snow. Cooper couldn't do much apart for lay in Meredith's arms or in his bouncy chair. Meredith and Kaylee chased each other around in the snow and they built a snowman together. Meredith brought Cooper down to the snowman and she got a photo of the two of them.

The whole time they were playing she wished Derek was here to see it. See the kid's first snowfall.

Cooper started crying.

"Kaylee I think its breakfast time."

"Okay mummy."

Meredith held her hand out and Kaylee ran up and grabbed it and they headed inside for breakfast. She got the kids undressed. She made Kaylee cereal and started feeding Cooper. They had the TV on and most of the roads had been closed. That means Derek wouldn't be home for a while.

"Mummy where is daddy?"

"He got called into work. He should be home soon."

"Do you have to go to school?"

"No because of the road closures. So I get to stay here with you."

Kaylee claps her hands with a huge smile.

"Can we go back outside then?"

"Maybe in an hour or so. Let breakfast settle a bit and so I can have something to eat."

"Sure. I'm going to go and play."

"Okay sweetie."

Meredith starts burping Cooper when the phone rings.

"Hello?"

"_Hey honey. I'm going to be at work a little longer than expected. They just keep bring more and more people in."_

"That's okay. I guess I will see you later."

"_Yeah sorry about this."_

"No it's fine. I love you."

"_Love you too. Bye."_

"Bye Derek."

She hangs the phone up and goes and lays Cooper down in the swing. She has breakfast and goes and starts cleaning the house up. When she is doing the laundry she notices Bundy. He is looking different then he normally is. She opens the door and lets him inside to the warmth. He moves very slowly then he falls down.

"Bundy what's wrong boy?"

She starts checking over him. She puts her hands over his stomach and it feels bloated and very tender. She just sighs.

"I guess I'm taking you to the vet old boy."

He is too heavy to move so she calls for Alex to come over and help her.

He arrives 10 minutes later.

"Hey Alex. Thanks for coming."

"That's fine. Where is he?"

"In the laundry."

He heads towards the laundry and she follows. They wrap him in a blanket and take him out to the car. Meredith gets Kaylee dressed warmly again and Alex takes her out to the car while Meredith gets Cooper and a baby bag ready.

She takes him out to the car and she heads for the vet. They arrive and Alex carries him inside while Meredith follows with the kids. They take him through to an exam room while they sit in the waiting room.

Kaylee is looking at everything she can. Alex has hold of one of Meredith's arms.

"He will be fine."

"I hope so."

The vet walks out with a look that he isn't going to make it.

Meredith chokes back tears while the vet takes her into the exam room. Alex has Kaylee on his hip and they are talking to the vet.

"So his stomach has twist. Which is quite hard to untwist. I put a tube down there to relieve some of the gas but it didn't work. I'm so sorry but there is nothing else I can do." She says.

"That's fine. He has had a good long life. I don't want to see him go through any more pain." Meredith says.

"He has had a long life. He made it to 15 years. That is a long time for some labs. Most only last until they are 13 but he made it 2 extra years."

"He had been a good dog."

"Of course. Anyway I'm going to give you some time with him. I'm just going to be outside when you are ready come and get me."

"I need to call my husband and get him to come down here."

"Sure. Take your time."

Meredith takes her phone out and dials Derek.

"_Hi Mer what's up?"_

"You need to come down to the vets now. It's pretty important."

"_Sure I'll be there as quick as I can."_

He hangs up the phone and they sit in the exam room waiting for him. It feels like hours waiting but it is only 20 minutes. Derek walks through the door and sees Bundy on the table. He looks at Meredith who has sadness in her eyes. He walks to her side and comforts her.

"It's his stomach. It has twist and they tried to relieve the pressure and let the gas out with a tube but it didn't work and surgery is too risky."

"I know. It is his time. We have to accept that."

"I know. So we say our goodbyes to him and then that is the end."

"Okay let's do this one step at a time. We will get Kaylee to say goodbye and then we can say ours."

They turn to Alex and Kaylee.

"Kaylee it's time to say goodbye to Bundy. This is the last time you will see him so make it count." Derek says.

"Bye Bundy. I'll miss you." She says.

"I'll take her and Cooper outside for you." Alex says.

"Thanks Alex."

Alex leaves the room with the kids and Meredith and Derek move to his side and say goodbye to him.

"Bundy you have been the best dog ever. From that day I got you on my birthday I was in love with you. You were there to talk to. To cry to. You were like a best friend. I shared my darkest secrets with you. I know this sounds stupid but you gave me some advice that helped me be stronger. I wish you could grow with me and give me advice as I grew older. I will miss you and I know that this is the best way to put you out of your misery." Meredith says. She has tears flowing from her eyes. He kisses his snout and Derek grabs her hand and pulls her into his arms.

"Bye boy. I'll miss you." Is all Derek says.

Derek lets the vet know that they are ready. She walks inside and explains what she is going to do. Derek and Meredith stand watching as she injects the needle into his system to put him to sleep. It is all over in a few minutes. Meredith pats his forehead one last time.

"I know that this is a difficult decision but we have the right to dispose of his body."

"I want to take him home and bury him." Meredith says.

"Of course. We will wrap him and he is yours to take home and say goodbye to again."

Derek hugs Meredith for a few minutes.

"Let's go home shall we?" He says.

He grabs her hand and they leave the exam room. They sign the paper work and Bundy is wheeled out by an assistant and helped loaded into the car. They arrived home and Alex occupied Kaylee while Derek took him out to the back shed and they laid him down. Derek grabbed a shovel and started digging a hole under the blossom tree out the back. It took him a few hours to dig it and then they lowered him in and Derek buried him in the dirt. Once that was done he covered it in rocks and They put a small cross with Bundy written on it.

Derek had been given the rest of the day off by Richard and he stayed at home with Meredith and the kids. Alex left shortly after the burial of Bundy. Kaylee was asleep on the lounge and Cooper was asleep in the bouncy chair.

Meredith and Derek sat on the back porch.

"I have to tell Jackson and Charlie."

"I can do that if you want." Derek suggests.

"No this is something I have to say to them."

"Okay sure but when you're ready."

"I know."

"Did you get photos of the kids in the snow." Derek asks changing the subject.

"Yeah I did. It's mainly Kaylee but I put Cooper in some of them."

"Can I see them? I need a new picture for my locker."

Meredith gets up and grabs the camera and hands it to Derek. He flicks through the photos and smiles at each one.

"I think I am going to put this one up." He says as he shows Meredith the photo of Cooper and Kaylee. Cooper is in his bouncy chair and Kaylee is next to him. Pointing out the snow. It is a real brotherly sisterly photo.

Meredith smiles at that one.

"Yeah that one is cute."

**So what did you think? Let me know. Next chapter is skipped a couple of months and is Meredith and Kaylee's birthday. **


	7. It's A Pretty Name

**Here is the next one. I've been busy getting into the swing of school that this hasn't been a priority and maybe because of lack of reviews. If I get more reviews then I will update for regularly.**

**This is Meredith and Kaylee's birthday. **

**Enjoy **

The past couple of months flew. It was Meredith and Kaylee's birthday again. Kaylee was turning four. Meredith and Derek couldn't believe how much she had grown. Especially with Cooper around.

She had adapted to Cooper better now and wasn't jealous of him that much. Meredith also fitted Cooper into Kaylee's and Meredith's routine. She took him to class with her almost every day. He was an angel in class. He wouldn't cry and would usually sleep through them. On the odd day she would leave him at the crèche.

Derek had to go into work today so they held off on having a party until the weekend where all her cousins and friends from the crèche were coming.

That morning Kaylee came running into their bedroom. She jumped up onto the bed and lay down between the two of them.

"Happy birthday mummy."

"Happy birthday as well sweetie." Meredith says.

"Moring birthday girl." Derek says.

"Can I open my presents now?"

"You will have to wait until after breakfast." Meredith tells her.

"I'm on that now." Derek says.

As he gets up off the bed and goes downstairs.

Meredith and Kaylee lay in bed together talking about what they are going to be doing today.

Derek walked into the bedroom 20 minutes later with pancakes. They sat in bed eating breakfast together.

Meredith looked at the clock.

"Shouldn't you be at work now?"

"I told them I would be late this morning."

"Okay so what time you going in?"

"9. So I have to leave in 20 minutes."

"Can you get the presents then?"

"Sure thing."

He leaves the room and walks back with presents in hand and Cooper in his arms. He lays Cooper down on the bed in front of Meredith and hands the present over to Kaylee.

"Here you go sweetie. Open up."

Kaylee dives into the present. She opens it and there is a new baby doll. She had been eyeing this one for ages so Meredith and Derek bought it for her. They told all their friends as well to buy all the accessories for it.

"Do you like it?" Meredith asks.

"Yes. Thank you mummy and daddy." She says kissing them.

"No problem anything to make you happy." Meredith says.

"It's your turn now mummy." Kaylee says.

Kaylee passes her the present.

"I'm hoping it isn't jewellery like last year."

She tears the paper away from the present. There is a photo album. That says mummy and me on the front. The front cover has a photo of Kaylee, Cooper and Meredith asleep together. She flicked through the pages of the album and saw all the photos of her and the kids together. She smiled at every photo.

"Thank you sweetie and to you baby boy."

"We also got you this." Kaylee says handing her another present.

Meredith opens it and there is a jewellery box. She opens it and half a dozen charms are in there. Her charm bracelet would be full with these last ones on there. She got given the C for Cooper, a baby boy carriage, a snowman, a dog and the others were spacers.

"Thank you sweetie. They are beautiful."

"I'm going to go and play with my dolly in my room now."

They watch as she gets off the bed and leaves the room.

"Thank you for the gifts."

"No they weren't from me they were from the kids. My gift will be unopened when I get home tonight."

"Dirty sex?" She asks.

"None other." He kisses her. "Now I have to get going before I'm late."

"Sure. We might drop by for lunch today."

"Good. I'll message you when I'm on my break."

"Okay. I'll see you later."

"Bye." He says kissing her again.

He grabs the plates and leaves the bedroom. Meredith picks up Cooper and kisses him.

"Do you want your breakfast baby boy?"

He lets out a smile.

"So that is a yes."

Ever since he started smiling when he was 4 weeks old he doesn't stop. Even if the thing isn't worth smiling at he still does.

...

After feeding Cooper she put the charms on her bracelet and took Cooper downstairs and put him in the swing where he was fast asleep within ten minutes.

"Kaylee I'm going for my shower. I'll be ten minutes."

"Okay mummy. I'll watch Cooper."

"Thank you and remember if there is a knock at the door don't answer it."

"I know mummy."

Meredith goes upstairs and has a quick shower.

She comes back downstairs and finds Kaylee in the same spot and Cooper still asleep in his swing.

"Someone called mummy."

"Okay."

Meredith checks her phone and sees that she has a missed call from Derek.

"_Hey Mer. We're going to have to skip lunch today. A huge trauma has rolled in and I'm going to be on my feet with it so I will see you tonight. I love you. Bye."_

Meredith hangs the phone up.

"The life of a surgeon." She says to herself.

She walks back into the lounge room and sits on the lounge.

"Have you got a name for your new doll?"

"Um I was thinking Sofia." Kaylee says.

"After you. Your middle name is Sofia."

"I know. I think Sofia is a pretty name so I named her that because she is a pretty dolly."

"She sure is." Meredith sits Kaylee next to her. "How about we go to the park for lunch and we can meet up with Jackson and everyone else. We haven't been to the park in a while and since the weather is nice today we can go and have a run around. We then might go and visit Pop."

"Okay mummy. We might have to go shopping first though for some food." Kaylee says.

"Yeah we probably will. How about you go upstairs and get dressed and I will write a list of what we will need."

"Sure mummy."

Kaylee runs upstairs to get changed while Meredith is searching through the fridge for what they will need. As she does that she calls Cristina and everyone else to meet her for lunch.

...

They arrive at the grocery store. Meredith lays Cooper in the seat on the trolley and puts Kaylee into the trolley.

"Can you read the first word for me sweetie?"

"Lettuce."

"Yes." Meredith puts it into the trolley. "Next."

They shopping trip goes well. They pick everything up and go and pay for the items. The person who served them was a kid Meredith recognised from Jackson's year. She had been very good friends with Jackson and was always with Jasmine and Jackson.

"Hi how are you today?" She asks.

"I'm good thanks Tammy. How are you going?"

"I'm good Meredith. How are you?"

"Good. It's mine and Kaylee's birthday today so we are having a day in the park with Jackson, Jasmine and Charlie."

"Sounds like fun. Happy birthday by the way."

"Thanks Tam."

"And how is this little one going."

"Cooper, he is going great. I love him so much."

"Well that's good."

They pay for the items and pack the car and leave for the park.

They arrive at the park. Meredith helps Kaylee out of her seat. She gets the pram out of the back and puts the food they bought in it. She takes Cooper out and puts him in the pram.

"C'mon sweetie let's go and see who else is here."

They walk through the park and find a table that is shaded.

"Mummy can I go and play?"

"Hang on let me put some sunscreen on you first. I don't want you to get burnt."

Meredith applies sunscreen to Kaylee and puts a hat on her head and Kaylee runs off to play. She starts making the lunch when Alex, Izzie, George, Cristina, Jackson, Jasmine and Charlie come towards her.

"Hey Meredith. Happy birthday." Izzie says.

"Thanks Iz."

"Happy birthday." Charlie says hugging her.

"Where's miny me?" Cristina asks.

"Kaylee is playing and Cooper is in his pram."

Izzie takes Cooper out of the pram and nurses him while Jackson, Jasmine and Charlie go and play with Kaylee. She finishes making the lunch.

"So what did McDreamy get you?" Cristina asks.

"A few more charms for my bracelet and a jewellery box and."

"Dirty sex?" Alex says.

"Yep."

"God you're so lucky." Cristina says.

Meredith just laughs. Cooper starts his crying and Izzie hands him back over.

"Come here baby boy." She says to him.

Meredith starts feeding him while everyone else finishes making the lunch.

"So have you guys got Kaylee's birthday presents yet?"

"Yeah I do. I got her so many pairs of clothes for her baby doll it's not funny." Izzie says.

"Okay you didn't have to go that overboard."

"Yes I did. She is my niece so I had to."

"Yeah I know."

"Lunch is ready. So I'll go get the rest of them and we can dig in." George says.

They all come running over. Kaylee is on Jackson's back. He sits her down on the table next to Meredith and gets her plateful of food. Meredith loves how Jackson and Charlie are always there for her. If she has the busiest day they are always there to help her.

...

After lunch and a day in the park the sun turned to storm clouds and it started raining. They raced to shelter in the gazebo. Jackson ran with Kaylee and George helped Meredith with the pram while they raced for shelter. They finally made it and just sat down.

"Great way to end the day." Meredith says.

"Sure is."

After the storm passes they decide to go home. Meredith packs the car and heads home with the kids. Both of them are asleep after their day out. Charlie had also come home with her since Jackson and Jasmine had to go to work.

They pulled up home and Charlie got the bags out from the back. Meredith juggled Kaylee in one arm and Cooper in the other arm. Both were asleep over her shoulder. She got them inside and took them straight upstairs to Meredith's bed and laid them down for their nap. She went downstairs and helped Charlie with the bags and unpacking.

"So since I have you hear would you like to help me with some of the party stuff."

"Sure Mer."

For the rest of the afternoon and night Charlie helped Meredith fill party bags and other party stuff. Charlie decided she would stay the night. It was soon dinnertime and Derek still wasn't home.

Charlie was playing with Kaylee when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"_Hi Mer. I won't be home tonight. I'm on call. So I'm just going to stay here for the night because she is pretty urgent. So we're going to have to delay the dirty birthday sex until another night."_

"Okay Derek."

"_I'm sorry I'm missing your birthday. I will make it up to you."_

"I know you will. Anyway Charlie is here with me and she is staying the night with me so she will keep me company."

"_Okay well I love you and I will make it up to you."_

"I know and I love you too. See you tomorrow I guess."

"_Yeah you will. Bye."_

"Bye."

She hangs up the phone and walks into the lounge room.

"How about we order a pizza and have a girl's night."

"Isn't Derek going to be home?"

"No he is on call so he won't be home."

"Okay then. Girls night sounds fun but there is boy here Cooper."

"Well he doesn't count as. He will most likely sleep for the whole night."

"True that. Can we order the pizza now so we can get stuck into it?"

"Sure Charlie. Just the normal."

"Yes please."

...

Derek had all day planned to not be on a case and said that he would prefer to work in the pit suturing then being on a surgery just so he could get home to Meredith and the kids.

But when he was in the pit a pregnant teenager came in. She was in labour but complications were starting to arise. So she was brought into the hospital by ambulance with her boyfriend.

Her name was Katrina and she was only 16. The same age as Jackson. Actually she was 17 today. She shared the same birthday as Meredith and Kaylee. Her baby looked like it was going to share the same date. He done the usual checks and saw that she was bleeding vaginally and this baby needed to be delivered today. He paged the obstetrician and she was on her way down to prep her.

The boyfriend was so calm and supportive but he missed out seeing his kid being born. He wasn't allowed in the OR because she was going to be under sedation. He sat in the waiting room waiting. Once the baby girl was born Derek got her breathing and ready to be taken to the nursery for a check up. Dr Jameson was trying to stop the bleeding before she bleeds out and died. She got it under control and closed her up.

Derek got Katrina's boyfriend Nathan and brought him up to meet his baby daughter. Nathan held her in his arms and smiled at her.

"She's so beautiful." He says.

"She sure is." Derek says. "Have you and Katrina thought of any names for her?"

"Um I like Sophie and Kat likes Pippa."

"They are pretty names. Can I tell you about what today is to me?" Derek asks.

"Yeah sure."

"We it's my wife's birthday today."

"You're married. You look to young to be married."

"Yeah I know there is also something else. Today is my daughter's birthday."

"So your wife and daughter share the same birthday the same as my girlfriend and daughter."

"They sure do. My daughter."

"What's her name?"

"Kaylee Sofia. Well Kaylee was the fastest labour and delivery ever. My wife Meredith was only in labour with her for about 10 minutes and then she was delivered. I missed her birth as well."

"How was that possible?"

"Oh it's possible. She went for a lie down as I went fishing with her siblings and she went into labour on my land."

"She must be one special baby."

"She sure is. So is your baby."

"I like the name Sofia now. God this is too hard. How long did it take for you to choose a name?"

"Well we decided on Kaylee after my brother in law suggested it. He delivered Kaylee. And we also had another a boy's name picked out since we didn't know the sex of the baby and we decided on Cooper and that is what my son is called."

"So you have two kids and how old are you?"

"Yes I have Kaylee and Cooper and I am only 22."

"So how old were you when you had Kaylee."

"Me and my wife were both 18. She turns 4 today and my son is 3 months."

"So you were a teen dad just like I am now?"

"I was. I know you always get bagged out and have names and looks always directed towards you but you shouldn't let that get you down. You usually forget about it when you daughter grabs onto your finger, or she starts smiling or does something extraordinary. But the faces and names usually fade into the background."

"Thanks Dr Shepherd."

"Call me Derek. Nathan if you need to talk then call me. Here is my card so just call me when you need advice or when you just need a friendly word." Derek says handing him his card. "Now how about we take your daughter to introduce to Kat."

The rest of the afternoon Derek stays with Nathan, Kat and the baby. Derek was then put on call to watch her just in case something happens to her.

He was grateful for giving Nathan advice on being a dad but he wished he was at home being a dad rather than being a doctor.

...

The night went by quietly and Katrina was in a stable condition and Nathan and her decided on Sofia Grace on her name.

Derek was checking the baby when he noticed that she had stopped breathing. Derek took her out of her bed and over to the table to start examining her. He called for help and they finally got her breathing again. It was something that you couldn't pick up on a normal paediatric work up. They were going to run tests on her to see what was wrong with her.

It was just a breathing difficulty that would go away with age but she would have to have a breathing monitor next to her bed just in case something like this happened again.

...

The next night Derek arrived home. It had been a pretty hectic 2 days. He snuggled up to Meredith in bed.

"How's your patient?"

"My patients are good. Get this her birthday is the same day as yours."

"Like's it's uncommon to not be born on the 1st of October."

"She also had a baby on her birthday which was a baby girl."

"Serious."

"Yes. She was the one I needed to watch over night. She came into the pit with vaginal bleeding and she almost died. She's a 17 year old who almost died in childbirth."

"Oh poor girl. Will she be fine?"

"Yeah she should there were no complications last night or today so she will make a full recovery. Her boyfriend was so supportive. Do you know how most dads leave the mum well he didn't. He was nice and asked me a lot of questions on being a dad and I answered them. I also told him if he needed a chat to call me and we could go from there."

"Well that's nice. Did they have a name for the baby?"

"Yes. Sofia Grace. I told him Kaylee's middle name and he loved it."

"Well that's nice. Were they good kids?"

"Yeah they were amazing."

"Guess what Kaylee's dolls name is?"

"I don't know. Peanut?"

"No. She called her Sofia."

"You can't be serious."

"I am being serious."

"Okay then. There is too many Sofia's."

"It's a pretty name."

"I know." He kisses her shoulder. "How about that birthday sex I promised you."

"I could never resist that."

"I know you couldn't."

"I love you Derek."

"I love you to."

**So what'd you think? Let me know please. Rate and review.**

**Next chapter something happens to Jasmine that wakes Meredith and Derek up in the middle of the night. Leave your thoughts on what you think happens.**


	8. She Looked So Lost

**Okay here is the next chapter. Hopefully you enjoy it. It is a Jasmine based chapter.**

…

Meredith and Derek woke late that night. Cooper was asleep in the basinet and Kaylee was asleep in her bed. It wasn't the kids that woke them or the alarm. It was the banging on the front door. They both sat up and looked at each other.

"What was that?" Meredith said.

Derek shrugged his shoulders.

They got up off the bed and went down the stairs. The banging was getting louder and more impatient.

"Help me please." They heard.

"That sounds like Jasmine. Open the door." Meredith says.

Derek opens the door and Jasmine is there and practically jumps into Derek's arms. She looks terrified and starts breaking into tears. Derek soothes her and shuts the door and leads her into the lounge room.

When Derek sat her down on the lounge they noticed things that they hadn't noticed when she was knocking at the door.

She had mascara smudges around her brown eyes. Her shirt was ripped, she was practically half naked. Her eyes were red from crying, bruises were all along her body. She had a cut on her left cheek. Her nose looked broken. Her arm had a long laceration on it. Her hand was swollen. Even her legs were bruised and cut. Her blonde hair was messed up. She was even missing her shoes.

She was shivering. Meredith wrapped a blanket around her to warm her up. She sat down in front of her.

"Jasmine what happened?" Meredith asks.

She doesn't say anything. She is in shock and is looking right through her.

"I'll get her some water." Derek says.

"Jasmine did someone hurt you?"

She doesn't answer. Meredith then noticed red marks on her neck.

"Is Jackson at work?"

She nodded her head again.

"Where are your parents?"

"Away." She said quietly.

"Did a man touch you?"

That was something she didn't want to answer just yet. Meredith saw the look in her eyes and knew that she didn't want to talk anymore.

Jasmine took her hands away from her forehead and showed her fingers were covered in blood.

"Jasmine I have to take you to hospital sweetie."

"No I don't want to."

"Jas I have to. You are hurt we need you to be checked."

"Okay."

"Stay here for a few minutes. I'm going to grab a shirt and some shoes for you. I'll only be a minute."

The ride to the hospital was silent. Jasmine just stared out into the darkness and the flicking lights. She was so lost. Meredith wished she would tell her what happened.

They walked through the ER. Meredith told the nurse and she was admitted in the pit waiting for a doctor to admit her.

As Jasmine sat on the bed she was scared and so lost. Meredith felt sick in the stomach thinking about it. How about if this was Charlie or Kaylee who had been attacked like this. Or even Cooper, Jackson or Derek. Each time she thought it made her feel sicker it made her sicker when she thought that it could have been her. This time she was sick.

She made a run for the toilets and threw up as soon as she reached the cubical. She leant back on her heels and hugged her knees.

She had to stay strong for Jasmine but how could she be strong when she ran off to the bathroom and threw up each time she thought about it. She flushed the toilet and went out and rinsed her mouth out and washed her hands. She looked at herself in the mirror.

"Hold it together." She says to herself.

She takes a deep breath and leaves back down to the ER. A doctor had finally turned up and was checking over her. Meredith moved slowly to her side and grasped her hand. Jasmine looked up at her without any emotion on her face.

"Who are you?" The doctor asks.

"I'm a good friend of Jasmine."

"Okay. Jasmine can you tell me what happened?" The doctor asks.

She doesn't answer.

"Jasmine this is important. You have to tell me."

She still doesn't answer.

"Dr?" Meredith says.

"Young."

"Dr Young Jasmine is scared. You have to give her time."

"Sure okay. Well I will have you admitted and have everything cleaned up and let you rest."

They got her admitted and she was in her room. Jasmine lay down and looked up at the roof. Dr Young had left to do some stuff. Meredith sat on the chair next to her bed.

"Meredith you should go home. I'm sure Cooper needs you."

"I'm staying right here. Derek can look after him."

Dr Young walked back in with a nurse and a heap of surgical items to stitch Jasmine up.

Dr Young checked every cut and bruise on her body. Jasmine flinched each time her bruise was touched.

"Okay Jasmine we are going to stitch you up then get some x-ray. Okay?"

She just nodded her head.

"So we will give you some morphine so you don't feel it." The nurse says.

Meredith stood up and held her hand.

"I'm going to stay here and hold your hand."

After an hour of stitching every cut was stitched and bandaged and she was being taken down for x-rays. Meredith sat in the room waiting. She could see the sun starting to rise.

Meredith closed her eyes and had fallen asleep.

...

"Meredith. Meredith." Jasmine says.

Meredith opens her eyes and sees Jasmine shaking her.

"Yeah."

"I need to talk. I have a lot on my mind and I need someone to help me."

"Yeah sure." Meredith looked at her watch and saw that she had been asleep for almost an hour.

She sat on the bed next to her.

"How's you're x-rays?"

"I have a few broken ribs, a broken nose and my hand and wrist is broken."

"Are you in pain at all?"

"Not really. I have been given morphine so I'm okay."

"Okay good. So what's on your mind?"

"I want to tell you what happened but I can't."

"Jas you can tell me anything you know that. So what happened?"

"A lot, It's all a bit blurry. I've been trying to piece everything together to remember what happened and how it took place. What happened is right there but before the thing everything was blurry."

"Sure I'm here. Tell me as you remember it." She says nodding her head.

"I drunk a lot at the party but all the alcohol I drank didn't make it disappear."

"Okay Jas, I don't care about the drinking cause I was the same. Tell me exactly what happened."

Jasmine goes to say what happened when Meredith's phone starts ringing. Meredith looks down at her phone.

"Oh it's Derek. I have to take it."

She gets up off the bed and leaves the room.

"Hi Derek."

"_Meredith hi, how's everything going?"_

"Jasmine hasn't told me what has happened to her but she has had her cuts cleaned and stitched. She has broken ribs a broken nose and her wrist and hand is broken."

"_Poor girl."_

"I know. She is trying to hold it all in but she won't tell me."

"_Give her time. She needs rest as well."_

"I know. How's my baby boy?"

"_Good. He drank that bottle of milk you left him and there is none left so I might get Jackson to drop him off along with some clothes for Jas but I will wait a few hours cause he is asleep now."_

"Okay sounds good. I better let you go so you can get Kaylee's party ready."

"_Will you be home?"_

"Probably not. I wish I was there. Can you explain it to her why I'm not here?"

"_Of course. I better let you go."_

"Okay." She says. "I love you Derek."

"_I love you too Mer."_

She hung up and sighed. She turned around and walked back into her room.

"How about you get some rest Jasmine. You must be exhausted. After your rest you can tell me what happened. So close your eyes." She tells her.

Meredith climbs into bed next to her and holds her waist tightly.

Jasmine closes her eyes and Meredith starts running her hand through her hair.

Jasmine doesn't fall asleep. Meredith does. Jasmine lays there crying silent tears.

She finally did fall into a slumber but she saw his face and that sly grin he had on his face when he touched her. She woke up from the nightmare as the scary part came up. She just laid awake hoping he wouldn't break into her hospital room and hurt her again.

She heard the door open and hears voices so she closes her eyes and pretends she is asleep. They finally leave and she opens her eyes and looks outside the window at the sunny day unfolding.

Jasmine felt the hold around her waist get tighter. She knew that she was safe in her arms. They were holding her like they would hold Kaylee if something happened.

She finally did fall into a slumber. She didn't dream. It was a dreamless sleep.

...

When she woke she didn't feel arms around her waist. She turned to see Meredith wasn't there. She was outside talking to Jackson. When she turned every muscle in her body ached. Then last night hit her. Jasmine turned back around with her back facing them. She didn't want Jackson seeing her like this.

"You need to do this for me. Jasmine is freaking out and she doesn't want to see you just yet. She is scared. So as a favour to me leave us be and when she is ready she will see you. I need you to go home and get the party ready. Help Derek and be there for my baby girl."

"Okay fine."

"Thank you Jackson. I will call you later."

Jackson turned and left after handing over Jasmine's bag and the baby bag. Meredith looked down at Cooper in her arms.

"Come on baby boy lets go in and see Jasmine."

She walked in and saw Jasmine awake.

"Hey you're awake." She says dropping the bags on the ground.

"Yeah I am. How's Jackson?"

"Jackson is freaking out about you. He is so worried Jas. He wants to talk to you."

"I don't want to talk to him just yet."

"Well speak to me." Meredith says. "Jasmine you need to tell us what happened so we can help you. Answer your confusions, comfort your sadness. Jasmine I will listen and not say a word. You need to not bottle those feelings up inside. You need to express them."

Jasmine doesn't say anything. Her tears have become heavier and she is crying loudly. Meredith wraps her arm around her and pulls her close to her body.

"Let's sit down shall we."

Meredith sits down on the edge of the bed. Meredith lays Cooper in between them and has him facing Jasmine. She plays with his hand.

"When you're ready spill. I'm here for you."

She waits a few minutes before she starts talking.

"I was at this party."

_Jasmine arrived at the party. Jackson had just dropped her off and he was on his way to work. He kissed her goodbye._

"_Love you." He says as she closes the door._

_He pulls away and Jasmine walks towards the house. She walks inside and it is madness. There were people everywhere. Tammy walked towards her and hugged her. She had alcohol in her hand and was obviously drunk._

"_Hey Jasie. Welcome to my house. Do you want a drink?"_

_Jasmine nodded her head and Tammy lead her to where all the drinks where._

_The night went by and Jasmine knew she had to start heading home. She was a little tipsy as she stumbled out the front door. Luke was standing on the veranda talking to a group of people. He noticed her leaving and walked after her._

"_Jas are you walking home?" He asked._

"_Yeah."_

"_Well you shouldn't let me drive you home. It isn't a bright idea to walk around at night alone."_

"_I'll be fine." She said pushing past Luke to the path to go home._

_When she was halfway home she saw a man up a head leaning against his car._

"_Hey little missy. Want to have some fun." She heard._

"_No thanks."_

_He moved towards her._

"_Come on now. It will be fun. You get to choose what we are going to do."_

"_Sorry I have a boyfriend."_

"_I don't think he will care." He said as he grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards his car. _

_He leant into her and pressed her as hard as he could into the car. He had her face held tightly in his hand and leant towards her turning her head to the side._

"_I don't think we will care sweetie. You are a little trampy to have a boyfriend." He said his breath so close to her face she felt each word hit her face like a punch._

_She tried to push him away but he had her body held tightly she couldn't move._

_He moved her legs up around his waist. His hands were just at the part where her legs finished and her bum started. His hands were up her skirt. She pushed him backwards and started running. He grabbed her by the shirt and ripped it in half. He then pushed her into some bushes, Jasmine feel face down hitting her face the guy turned her around and moved his hands up and down her body. Touching ever curve. Touching things that made her feel uncomfortable. She tried to move but he turned her back towards the ground. He was much in control of everything. He hitched her skirt up around her waist and pulled her undies down. He entered her from behind and she was in pain. Every time she tried to move his grip around her body tightened. With each thrust she bit her lip. Trying not to scream in pain. _

_This wasn't the way she was supposed to lose her youth. She was supposed to be with a man she loved and trusted. That someone was Jackson. _

_She screamed and he hit her and slammed her into the ground. Wrapping his arms around her neck._

_There was a noise in the distance that stopped the thrusting inside her. He moved backwards to see what that noise was. Then entered her again. She was in so much pain she felt like she couldn't cry, yell or scream. _

_She screamed and tried to move so her turned her around and slammed her back into the ground. Hitting her and kicking her in the ribs._

_There was then another noise. It was closer this time. He stopped entering her and stood up. That was her chance to run._

"I then got up and ran as fast as I could. I lost my shoes. I ran there for your house cause it was the closest. The man's car was being stolen. So I ran through the bushes to your house because it was only a block away. I sprinted as face as I could so he couldn't... She couldn't say the words.

"I know." Meredith says wiping away the single tear running down her cheek. "I know that that man hurt you but you have to report it."

"No."

"Well at least let me get Dr Young back in here to give you the HIV cocktail and the morning after pill."

She didn't say anything.

"Jasmine I'm only doing this because I want you to be safe and not end up sick or even pregnant with that man's child. Being pregnant at 16 is something you don't want to happen. Believe me I've been there."

"Okay."

"If this will help I won't tell your parents. That is your choice."

"Please don't tell them."

"I won't sweetie."

Meredith left her room and went to go and get Dr Young. She to the room 5 minutes later and Meredith explained what happened.

"Is there anything you want to ask?"

There were million things she wanted to ask but she couldn't open her mouth to say them.

"I know what happened was scary but you seem like a strong girl. I'm sure you are going to make it."

Meredith looked at her. The girl looked so lost. She could barely look at her without her heartbreaking.

**So what did you think? When I was writing the chapter I had a few people in mind that this could happen to but I thought that it was cruel not saying that this happing to Jasmine is cruel. It is it is disgusting but having it happen to someone younger I was sick in my stomach so Jasmine was the person.**

**Next chapter is at the hospital straight after this.**

**This happening to Jasmine lets us explore her character some more. I will try and update in a few days.**


	9. He Is My Prince

**Part two of the other chapter, continues straight after the last.**

…

_Meredith looked at her. The girl looked so lost. She could barely look at her without her heartbreaking._

If Meredith felt her heartbreaking to her brother's girlfriend how would she react if it was Kaylee up on the exam table after she was sexually abused and assaulted.

Jasmine just stared ahead as she was being examined. She couldn't look at the doctor as she was examining her. She would just break into tears. So she looked up at the ceiling hoping she wouldn't break.

After the exam Doctor Young took Meredith outside to talk.

"So we have to call her parents. She is going through a lot of emotional stress and I'm sure she would want them around." She says walking off.

Meredith stops her.

"No she doesn't want to call them just yet. She needs to not have her parents here looking out for her. She is embarrassed and bringing her parents in here would break her into a million pieces so please don't call them until she is ready."

"Fine. I'm calling for a psyche consult though and for the police to come."

"Okay but I'm not leaving her by herself. She needs someone in there to hold her hand as she speaks."

"I'm sorry I can't allow that."

"You have to because she is only a minor. She is still a child. She shouldn't go through this alone. I need to sit in there and hold her hand to make her feel like she is not alone and because I promised her that I wouldn't leave her."

"Fine Miss." She says. "I'm going to organise the consult and the police to come over."

Dr Young walks away and Meredith walks back into her room. Jasmine just sat there staring at the ceiling. Meredith stood next to her bed and brushed the hair away from her forehead. Jasmine turned towards her and her eyes were filled with tears.

"What would have happened if I never got away? What about if he kidnapped me or killed me."

"Jasmine you did get away. You're here right now. You're being so strong."

"But what if something did happen."

"I'm sure we would find you if you were taken. Jackson wouldn't sleep until he found you and if..." Meredith said before shutting her mouth.

"If I was killed."

"I'm sure Jackson wouldn't sleep until he haunted that man down."

Jasmine turns away from Meredith and looks back up at the ceiling.

"Hey nothing did happen to you so be grateful for that. I'm grateful for that. So think about the positives and not the negatives. Okay."

She just nods her head.

"Okay I'm going to the toilet. Can you hold Cooper for me please?"

She just nods her head and sits up as Meredith passes her Cooper. Jasmine settles him in her good arm.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." Meredith tells her.

She leaves Cooper and Jasmine and walks away from eye range so she can make a call.

She pulls her phone out and dials home. Leaning up against the wall.

"_Hello."_

"Hey sweetie."

"_Hey Mer." Derek says. "How's it going?"_

"Alright. Dr Young is being a bitch."

"_Yeah she is like that at work. Don't worry about her. How's Jasie doing?"_

"She's quiet."

"_Has she said anything?"_

"Yeah she has Jas was raped." Meredith says.

There is a silence on the phone.

"_Oh no."_

"My heart was literally breaking when I saw her getting examined. Derek she isn't even our daughter but I was thinking what about if it was Kaylee on the table. I would have been worse."

"_I know. Do you want me to come down?"_

"No it's Kaylee's party. Let her enjoy it and you enjoy it as well because it is your fist day off in a few weeks. So please stay there."

"_I will. What is happening now with Jas?"_

"Um Young has gone to get a psyche consult and call the police to come and talk to her."

"_The poor girl. She had to have this happen to her at this age."_

"I know." Meredith says. "I love you Derek."

"_I love you to Meredith."_

"I wish this was easier for her."

"_Same here. I have to go Mer. Some kids are here."_

"Okay. I'll see you later Derek."

"_I know. Be safe. I love you remember that."_

"I will. Bye Derek."

With the click of the button she hangs up. She leans up against the wall and sighed. Hoping it will get better. She put her phone into her pocket and walked back into Jasmine's room.

When Meredith left the room Jasmine just burst into tears. All those tears she was holding in for the last few hours just came out. She felt weak for crying. She held Cooper close to her body. Like earlier he eased her pain. She pulled him away from her body and looked at him.

"I'm hoping it gets better Coop. I really do." She says.

She looked up and saw the door open. Meredith was walking in. She gave her a small smile and sat down next to her. Meredith noticed the tears in her eyes and brushed them away.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm hoping it gets better."

Meredith pulled her in for a hug.

"It will sweetie. Give it time."

"Okay."

"Sweetie it will. You need to go at your own pace at recovering. You are the only one who can make this healing process a success. Don't listen to what others say you should be doing. You should listen to your heart and mind."

"I know."

"Jas do you want to tell me something or say something cause I'm sure you have a hundred questions."

"I'm scared."

"About what?"

"What if Jackson doesn't look at me the same or we break up."

"Trust me you to want break up. The way he looks at you is the way Derek looks at me. Jackson is a gentleman. He wouldn't leave you. He wants to fix you. He loves you and he has been in love with you since that night 4 years ago when he won the talent quest and you kissed him. He had been on cloud nine since that night about you. He is crazy about you. He was raised well his parents."

"Not by his parents by you Meredith. You did raise him the right way."

"Yeah I know I don't know how that turned out because of our pretty crappy life but I don't think he would want to be like that he is the opposite. He is caring, loving he is.."

"Derek." Jasmine says.

"His like Derek and those people are pretty rare these days."

"I know. He is my..."

"Your prince?"

Jasmine laughs.

"Yeah my prince. Just like how Derek is you're..."

"My prince."

They both laugh. Meredith is happy that she is laughing.

"You are lucky because you found your soul mate so young. You's are going to experience the good, the bad and the ugly together but because you love each other it won't matter because love never means you have to say you're sorry. Well you still do but you get my point."

"The day you met Derek did you know he would be your soul mate, your prince. The guy that you marry and have the bunch of kids with and grow old together."

"Not really. I had this strange feeling for that day and that week. Then this one day after school he told me to wait for him. I did and we walked home together. We were walking through the park and he sat me down on the seat and sat next to me. Now I'm quoting this exactly what he said to me." She says.

"Last week when we ran into each other I knew that you are the one for me. You're life is pretty shit and I want to change that. I want to fall in love with you, marry you, and have kids with you and grow old together. I want to be your prince charming that carries you away to a castle were you have no parents treating you the way you have been treated. There will be just us because you are someone that I love and don't want to treat like my slave. I'm going to treat you like my princess." She quotes.

"He then leant in and kissed me softly on the lips. My first kiss. He gave me a bracelet as well that I don't wear because it is special to me and I don't want to lose it. The only day I wear it is on the 2 of August the day he gave it he said that we were going to spend the rest of our lives together."

"He is such a romantic."

"I know but I love it."

"But he has also hurt you hasn't he?"

"Of course he has but I don't worry about those things anymore because I am finally with him and I have him all to myself that's all that matters now."

"What was the bracelet like?"

"It was silver but each link was a heart and where you clasped it together it had a red locket. It is gorgeous."

"Can you show me it when I get discharged?"

"Of course."

There is a silence between them.

"If that person loves you then things like that shouldn't matter in the end. Of course it matters at first but they have to see past it and they usually forgive and forget." Meredith tells her. "Jackson will be fine. He will be protective but once that passes he is usually back to his old self."

"I know."

"How did you feel that day you met Jackson."

"Well how old was I. I was 6 when we met but when I was in the middle of year 6 I started liking him. I knew he was the one I was going to fall in love with and do all that stuff with. Then that talent night I had to tell him but I didn't know how so I thought that kissing him was a pretty good idea. It sounds so stupid now when I say it but it was the only way I could express my feelings towards him."

"I know and look where you are now. 4 years later and you are doing so strong. That is love there."

"I know I love him so much."

"Promise this to me. You won't get pregnant when you are 17 like I did. Wait at least until you are 45."

"I'm not waiting that long. I probably won't even be able to have kids then."

"I know. Just wait until you are older and have finished school and uni and have finished all that kid stuff. You don't want to be like me."

"Meredith you are an awesome mum. I know you wanted to wait but I don't think that changed at all the age thing. Some people have kids in their thirties because they wouldn't be patient with kids but in my eyes mum's close to their kids age make them better parents and they can connect better to them. I really admire you for how you have been raised and raised Charlie and Jackson and how you are raising Kaylee and Coop. I would love to have you as a mum. For example what you are doing here with me. You are missing your daughters' birthday party to be here with me."

Meredith has a tear in her eye. She hugs her tightly.

"Jas I would love to have you as a daughter."

Jasmine hugs her tightly. They pull away from the embrace and Meredith looks at her with a smile.

"Remember I am always here to talk. To be a mum or a friend. Jas you need to know that. I can be over protective sometimes but usually it is for the right reasons."

"I know."

There is a knock at the door and they both look up to see the police standing there.

"We would like a word with Miss Jasmine Summers."

"Yeah sure." Meredith says.

"Alone."

"Sure." She says taking Cooper from Jasmine. "I'll be right outside."

"No, no. Don't leave me." She pleads. "Please let her stay. I don't want to be alone. You promised you wouldn't leave me."

The police look at Meredith then at Jasmine.

"I'm not going anywhere Jas. I'm staying right here." Meredith says holding her hand.

"I'm sorry Miss Summers but miss.."

"Shep, Meredith is fine."

"Meredith needs to step outside while we take your statement."

"I can't do it without Meredith though."

"Yes you can. You are strong you can do this. Look how far you have gotten. I believe you can do this."

"Okay, yes okay I can."

"I knew it. Now I'll be right outside."

"Okay but can you leave Cooper with me please?" Jasmine whispers.

"Sure sweetie."

Meredith places Cooper back into Jasmine's arms. Meredith leans her forehead against Jasmine's.

"Do great."

Meredith turns around and leaves the room while Jasmine gives her statement.

...

After spending most of the day at the hospital being examined and having numerous procedures Jasmine was being released. She was given the all clear but would have to come back once every six months for testing if she had any sexually transmitted diseases.

Meredith had one arm around her waist as they walked out to the car. Meredith helped her into the front seat and Meredith put Cooper into his car seat. Meredith threw the bag of medications and brochures of things in front of the car seat and she got in and they took off home.

When they arrived home it was close to 11 o'clock. Meredith had missed Kaylee's birthday and her party. They walked through the front door into the lounge room where Derek was asleep with Kaylee in his arms asleep on the recliner. Charlie was asleep on the fold out lounge and Jackson was laying down next to her with his eyes closed. When they walked in Jackson opened up his eyes.

"Your back." He says.

"Yes we are. How was the party?" Meredith asks.

"Good but it wasn't much of one for you."

"I know." Meredith turns to Jasmine. "I'm going to make your bed up and then you can go and lie down and go to sleep."

Jasmine just nods her head. Meredith takes Cooper upstairs. Jackson stands up and puts his arm around her waist.

"Can we talk?" Jasmine asks.

"Sure babe. We'll go out the back."

They head out the back and sit down on the chairs.

"I'm sorry I didn't want to see you this morning." She says.

"That's fine. I know that you were in pain and you couldn't look at me. I know it will be a long recovery time. Trusting, forgetting but I'm here for the long run. I'm never going to leave you after what happened. It was something that shouldn't have happened. I love you and you should never forget that."

"I know. I love you too but you are going to have to give me time. You are just going to have to be patient. Some days I might yell and scream, others I might bitch and moan and some days I might not be able to get out of bed. So be patient. It will be a long recovery not just for me but for everyone because this does effect as all."

"I know babe." He says kissing her forehead. "First step is for me to leave you to go to sleep and we can talk in the morning."

She just nods her head and he helps her up and takes her upstairs to the spare bedroom where she is sleeping. When he finished helping her into her pyjamas he helped her into bed.

"Can you lay here with me until I go to sleep?" She says.

"Of course. I love you." He tells her.

"I know."

Meredith was standing at the door watching the two of them. She turned and went downstairs to get Derek to bed.

She picked Kaylee up and laid her down in the fold out bed next to Charlie.

"Derek." She says shaking him.

He opened his eyes.

"Come to bed."

He gets up off the lounge and follows her upstairs turning all the lights off as they make their room. Instead of changing clothes they just got under the covers and held each other.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. She didn't test for any diseases but she has to go back for checkups."

"Does the police know?"

"Yeah they do."

"That's good."

"Derek promise me this."

"Yeah."

"I never want to see this happen to any of our kids."

"I know me either."

"Cause watching Jasmine made me want to cry. It is the worst sight seeing all those things being jabbed into her body and examining her."

"It sure is."

They laid there Derek was almost asleep.

"I love you Derek."

"I know. I love you too."

**What did you think? Let me know. Next chapter is with all the kids and is the next day. **

**Read and review please**


	10. What Type Of A Sick Cruel Joke Is That

**Here is the next chapter. Just the events from the day after the raping**

**Hope you all enjoy.**

…

The next morning they woke to the phone ringing.

"Who would be calling at this time of the morning?" Meredith groans.

"Hello?" He says.

"_Derek its Richard, did I hear a whisper that Jasmine was here yesterday from and assault?"_

"Yeah probably."

"_Is she okay?"_

"She's fine; she got examined for all sorts of things. Had a whole lot of shots and she is now asleep."

"_Well good. How's Jackson?"_

"His being very mature and helping her get through it."

"_That's good. Anyway I have to go enjoy your weekend and I'll see you tomorrow."_

"You sure will. Bye." He says hanging up the phone. He places it back on the receiver and closes his eyes.

"Who was that?" Meredith asks.

"Richard. Asking about Jasmine and Jackson."

"Okay. I'm thinking today we should go out to the land for lunch. It's nice and peaceful out there and because we didn't do our tradition this year." She says.

"Sounds like a good idea. It's 8.30 now so I'm going to make us all some breakfast and start getting lunch ready for us all." He tells her as he kisses her forehead and leaves.

He walks down the hallway and pokes his head into the spare room. Jackson and Jasmine are asleep in each other's arms. They look so peaceful. You wouldn't imagine what had just happened to Jasmine the way they were holding each other.

He continued down the stairs to the lounge room. Charlie and Kaylee were lying down watching the TV. Kaylee spotted him, smiled and walked over to him where he picked her up.

"Daddy."

"Hey baby girl. How'd you sleep?"

"Good. I was confused about waking up down here but it was cool cause I was with Car."

"That's good. Guess where we are going today?"

"The park."

Derek shakes his head.

"To see Nan."

"Nope guess again."

"The land."

"Yes we are."

"Yes. When are we going?"

"After breakfast and I'm thinking about getting your mum to let us all camp out there for the night."

"That would be great. So Charlie, Jackson, Jasmine, Cooper, mummy, you and me to camp."

"Yes. It will be fun. So I'm going to make us some breakfast and we can then start getting ready."

He puts her back down on the bed and starts making breakfast.

Jackson and Jasmine walk down the stairs hand in hand into the lounge room. Kaylee gets up and jumps into his arms.

"Jackson, Jackson we're going to the land today and daddy said that we all might camp out there." She says excitedly.

"Sounds great Kaylee."

"Morning Kaylee." Jasmine says.

"Morning Jasie."

"Where's daddy?" Jasmine asks.

"Making breakfast."

"I'm going to go and help him." She says kissing Jackson's cheek and walking into the kitchen.

"Morning Derek."

"Hey Jas. How are you feeling?"

"Good. I'm a bit sore."

"That's expected. Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah I did after a while. Having Jackson there helped me."

"Well we always need someone there to help."

"I know. Meredith done a good job yesterday. I feel bad for making her miss Kaylee's and her party yesterday."

"Don't feel bad. Meredith wouldn't care because you are safe and happy."

"Okay good."

The phone then rings again. Derek answers it and Jasmine starts flipping the pancakes.

"Hello?"

"_Hello this is Officer Mike, I was wondering if Meredith Shepherd Grey was around."_

"She is. I'll just go and get her."

Derek walks up the stairs into the bedroom.

"Meredith phone."

"Who is it?"

"Officer Mike."

"Okay." She says taking the phone. "Hello."

"_Hi Meredith this is Officer Mike. I interviewed Jasmine Summers yesterday."_

"Yes I remember."

"_Well the statement Jasmine gave matched with a statement that a man gave early yesterday morning reporting about his stolen car. We have him on record and have brought him in to fill out some paper work and we were wondering if you could bring Jasmine down here to identify him."_

"Um sure. Give us half an hour and we will be there."

"_Sure. See you soon."_

"Yes. Bye."

Meredith hangs up the phone. She gets up off the bed and goes downstairs.

"What was that about?" Derek asks.

"Well Jasmine they think they have found your rapist."

"What. How."

"Do you know how his car was stolen well they matched him with your statement and have apparently caught him."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah seriously the only thing is we have to go down to the station and identify him."

"Oh." Is the only thing that escapes her lips.

"Jas if this is the guy he will be locked up for a long time. He won't hurt you again."

"But can't they see us?"

"No they can't. Speaking from my own experience they don't see you. I was so scared when I had to identify someone but it is fine. You will be in there for 2 seconds and you're done."

"Okay let's go before I chicken out."

Meredith and Jasmine leave the house after getting changed and head down to the station.

When they got out of the car Meredith came to her side with Cooper and grabbed her hand.

"Just one step at a time. At your own pace." Meredith says to her.

"I'm ready."

They both walk in and get searched before signing in and being lead down to the identification room. Officer Mike joins them.

"Okay Jasmine when you're ready we will bring him into the room behind us and that is when you tell us if that is the guy. Okay?"

"Yep."

"So whenever you're ready."

"Yeah I am." She says.

The officer signals the other guard and he leaves the room.

Meredith grabs her hand supportively and smiles. Jasmine and Meredith stand up and stand at the window.

"So he can't see me." Jasmine asks the officer.

"No he can't. It is just a mirror in there so he is looking at himself."

"Good."

The door in the room opens and the guard brings a guy in. He is rough looking. Quite tall. Athletic. A beard and a snake tattoo running down his arm.

"Jasmine is this the guy who rapped you?"

Jasmine sucks in a breath.

"Yes." She chokes out. "Yeah."

"Good. You did a good job sweetie. We will be in contact so go home and enjoy the rest of your holidays." He says.

Meredith leads her out of the room and they go and sign out and get back into the car.

"That wasn't hard was it?"

"Nope."

"Let's go home and get ready for the camping trip."

"Can we swing by home please so I can pick up some more clothes?"

"Sure."

After picking clothes up from Jasmine's they headed home.

"Jasmine when does your mum and dad get back?"

"In three weeks."

"You know that you are more than welcome to stay with us for those three weeks."

"I wouldn't want to impose."

"You are not imposing. We had 7 people at home today. There were bodies everywhere and when it is just the four of us Derek is barely there to count so it is just Kaylee, Coop and me. An extra set of hands I wouldn't mind and some company over the age of 5 is good as well."

"Well if you don't mind."

"Not at all."

"Thank you Meredith for all of this. You are too kind. If there was ever a way of paying you back I would."

"I know but I don't want you to. Your gift to me is that you are still alive. That is a gift. Life without you would suck."

Jasmine just laughs.

"It would suck?" She asks.

"It would suck."

They get home just as Cooper wants his feed. Meredith sits on the recliner. On the fold out mattress are Derek, Kaylee, Charlie and Jackson. Jasmine comes downstairs and sits in front of Jackson. They are all like a big family. The 7 of them.

"So what time are we heading off?" Meredith asks.

"When everyone is ready we are straight out that door."

"So do you have the tents, the sleeping bags and all that stuff?"

"No but I will when I go out there now." He says getting up and leaving.

"I'm going to go and help him." Jackson says to Jasmine. "Will you be okay?"

"Of course."

He gets up and leaves the room. Jasmine turns to Meredith.

"He is being protective and wanting to know how you are." Meredith says.

"I don't mind it actually."

"It's good isn't it having that feeling that he cares about you."

"Sure does."

They both just laugh and smile.

"Mummy can we go now?" Kaylee asks.

"Not yet we have to get ready."

"So how long will that take?"

"An hour or so."

"Okay." She sighs.

...

After getting the cars packed and the kids ready they headed off. Derek and Jackson went in Derek's car with Juno on the back seat with her head out the window. Meredith took everyone else. Kaylee was in the back watching a DVD with Charlie while Cooper was asleep in his seat.

"So do we have any food for today?" Jasmine asks.

"I wouldn't have a clue but I'm guessing that we don't. So how about we let the men go off and set up and we can get food and drinks."

"Sounds good."

They arrived at the store. Meredith had Cooper in the carrier. Kaylee was in the seat in the trolley. Jasmine pushed the trolley around while Meredith picked all the food out. They turned the corner into one of the aisles and Luke was there packing the self. He saw them and ran straight towards Jasmine and hugged her tightly.

"You're safe. I should have driven you home but your safe god Jackson would kill me if he knew that I didn't drive you home."

"Luke I'm fine and it isn't your fault that I didn't get a lift home with you. I should have."

"I heard what happened. Are you feeling alright?"

"Sure. It will take a while for me to heal right but I'm okay today." She tells him. "Look we have to get going we have a camping trip so I'll see you around."

"Sure have fun Jas."

"I will."

...

The boys arrived out at the land. They purposely didn't pack any food so the girls would go and buy it and give them time to fish.

They were fishing for 2 hours when Meredith walked down to the river.

"Oh I thought this is where you's would be. Instead of pitching the tents you are fishing." Meredith says.

"Well we only get out here every so often."

"Yeah, yeah. How about you come and give us a hand with the tents so we can unpack and I can lay the kids down for their naps."

"We'll be up in a few minutes."

"You better Shep or I am stopping sex for a month." She says smiling. "And I'm not joking." She adds in before walking back.

"Oh she played the sex card. You better go I'll stay here and fish."

"No you won't we are all lending a hand." He says grabbing Jackson's rod. "We can come down in the morning."

The boys head back up to their campsite.

"So I brought all 4 tents out. How do we want to set this up?"

"Jas and I will share one."

"Okay Charlie do you want to have a tent to yourself, share one with us or have Kaylee in yours."

"I don't mind. Kaylee who do you want to sleep with?"

"You Car."

"Okay so then Mer and I will share."

"And no naughty business either." Jackson says.

Derek shoots him a look to be quiet but he smiles when he finishes.

"Mer will you be able to help Charlie while I get this one up?"

"Sure."

After building the tents Kaylee was asleep in her bed. Charlie, Jackson and Jasmine went off for a walk.

Meredith and Derek lay down on the mattress in there's.

"This was a good idea Shepherd. I think you should be rewarded." Meredith says.

"So do I." He says leaning in kissing her.

Meredith and Derek were starting to undress each other when the zipper to their tent opened.

"Hey what did I say?" Jackson says. "No naughty business while we are away. I've had to put up with this too many times before."

"What do you want Jackson. You are interrupting something pretty important."

"I know. Since we finished pitching the tents do you want to go and recast again?"

"I would love to but not at this moment."

"Okay then. Enjoy your love making. We'll come back in an hour or so." He says zipping the tent back up.

"Don't get lost and be back before dark." Meredith says before Derek shuts her up.

...

The next morning Meredith wakes. Derek has his arms wrapped around her. She moves out of his arms and goes to the toilet. When she comes back she checks on Cooper. She reaches his bed and sees that he isn't there.

"Derek, do you have Cooper with you?"

"No. Isn't he in his cot?" He says.

"No."

Derek gets up and goes towards her.

"Come on he was in here when you fed him earlier."

She storms out of the tent and starts looking in all the other tents. She opens Charlie's and Kaylee's. Then closes it and goes it Jackson and Jasmine's.

"Hey what's wrong?" He asks.

"I can't find Cooper anywhere." She says.

"He should still be in his cot." Jackson says.

"Well his not."

She starts having a panic attack and searching everywhere for him. Derek and Jasmine go and help. After ten minutes of looking Jackson goes into the hut. He walks out with Cooper in his arms.

"Is this who you are looking for?"

Meredith runs straight over to him and takes Cooper into her arms.

"My baby boy. Where was he?"

"I hid him."

"What, why. What type of a sick cruel joke is that?" She yells.

"I'm sorry. I just had to. I thought it would be fun."

"Fun. Is that what you call fun? Hiding a baby and freaking the mother out. I thought a bear had come and taken him or even someone snuck in and stole him. Jackson what the hell. I thought you knew better."

"Come on you must have known that it was me. There is no such thing as a bear taking a baby."

"Yeah well you did hear about the mother who had her baby taken by a dingo and she never saw her again."

"Mer that was a hoax. All the evidence proves it. It was he parents who killed her."

"I don't care. I'm just saying that you shouldn't do things like that to freak me out so much."

"I'm sorry."

"You should be. God I should punish you."

"Go ahead if you won't."

"I will. Next time this little boy has the smelliest nappy and then you can change him."

"Sure."

"Good. Now I had some food last night that I don't think sat with him very well so he might have the runs."

"I think I just vomited a little in my mouth."

"That's babies for you."

...

After breakfast they had cleaned everything up and just what Meredith had said Cooper needed his nappy changed and this was a smelly one.

"Here you go Jackson, fresh poop nappy. Enjoy."

Jackson took Cooper and the changing mat and laid him down and started unbuttoning his onesie and taking his nappy off. He was revolted by the sight of Cooper's nappy.

"Oh come on boy. It had to be today you had the runs didn't it." Jackson says.

As he is changing his nappy Cooper pees on him. Everyone is in hysterics watching him. Cooper lets out a smile.

"Karma is a bitch isn't it Jackson." Derek says.

"Sure is."

"Here you go and clean up and I'll take over." Meredith says.

Jackson walks towards the tent taking his shirt off.

Meredith finishes changing him and puts a new onesie on him. Meredith hands Cooper to Charlie and Cooper is smiling.

"Oh that was a good one. You got him good." Derek says playing with his hand.

"Since he had his nappy change I'm guessing that he will need a feed soon." Charlie says.

"He sure will."

Jackson walks back over and sits down in front of Jasmine.

"How was that Jacko. First being peed on experience." Derek says with a smile.

"Not fun."

"Oh well get used to it. When you have kids you get peed on all time. There is a technique you need to conquer." Meredith says.

"Well why didn't you tell me he was about to squirt."

"Because I told you that I needed to punish you and Cooper somehow did it for me. Didn't you baby boy." Meredith coos to Cooper who smiles even bigger.

"Yeah whatever. What time are we leaving cause I have to go to work from 4 onwards."

"Well I guess we better leave soon. Just in case I get paged in to work." Derek says.

"So can we start packing and head home if you guys want?" Meredith says.

They all just nod their heads.

...

After packing everything up and packing the cars they all went for one last walk down to the river for lunch. The boys got one last fish in before they headed home.

As soon as they walked through the front door Derek's pager went off. Jackson dropped him off at work on his way to work.

Kaylee and Cooper were asleep while Meredith, Jasmine and Charlie unpacked the car.

They all sat down in the lounge room.

"That was fun wasn't it?" Meredith says.

"Sure was. We should try and camp again another time." Charlie says.

"Yes probably when Cooper is a little bit older and Jackson has more sense in him." Jasmine says.

"I agree. I can't believe he did that. Did you know that he was going to do it?"

"No I didn't. It was a cruel joke though. I can't believe he actually done that." Jasmine says.

"I know. Maybe when he has a kid I might do it to him so he gets why it is so cruel."

"That sounds like a good idea." Jasmine says.

They all just start laughing.

**What'd you think? Please let me know. Read and review.**

**Next chapter is the end of the holidays and first day back at school for Jasmine ending in a surprise. **


	11. The Only One Who Could Change the Future

**Here is the next one. I haven't had a chance to update but I got a chance now. **

**This chapter is learning about Jasmine's family.**

**Enjoy**

The rest of the holidays flew and before Meredith knew it she was back at school. The holidays were good for her because she had that time to spend with the kids and do everything she wanted.

Derek's hours were getting quite ridiculous and he was rarely at home. He was home just in time to kiss Kaylee goodnight.

Jasmine was staying with them for 2 more weeks. Her parents had gone travelling over to Europe to visit family. Leaving Jasmine at home with her older sister Nina but she had moved out to her boyfriends' house the second their parents walked out the door. She was slowly recovering and was brighter and not so depressed. Having people around helped a lot.

That morning Meredith dropped Jasmine off at school, dropped Kaylee at the crèche and headed off to school with Cooper. These last few weeks were critical for her. They had their major tests coming up so every lesson was important for her.

As usual Cooper was asleep. Since he was getting bigger she didn't put him in the capsule she had him in the carrier. She was in Mr Longings class for the last lesson and Cooper didn't wake or cry but he picked on her again.

"Meredith answer this for me. What does a code red, blue and black stand for."

"Red is fire, blue is a patient is coding and black is for situations like..." She says before he cuts her off.

"Sorry times up. You should be able to answer that one but your too busy being a mother and not studying like you should be. I expect better."

"Sir I do stu..." she says.

"Nope. You don't get to talk when I haven't asked you to."

Meredith just shot him a dirty look and sat back in her chair. Izzie and Cristina were either side of her.

"Don't worry he is an arse."

"Well I'm going to talk to him about it after class."

"Do you think that is suitable?" Izzie asks.

"Yes. He picks on me like crazy and it is annoying the shit out of me. I need to tell him that."

"Girls do I hear talking?" He asks.

"No sir." Izzie says.

"Good because I thought the baby woke up."

After class school was out. She gathered her books and notes up and headed down to the lecture area. Cooper was in her arms awake. Mr Longings was packing up.

"Sir can I have a word please?" Meredith asks.

"Sure Meredith."

"Why are you so mean to me. I just want to know because you pick on me all the time. You only give me 3 seconds to answer and always reply to a nasty comment about being a mum. Why is that?"

"Meredith I only do it because you are one of the most promising students in my class. I want to make sure you are on top of everything. Being a parent is hard but you have a little one here and another little one at home and I'm sure that it is hard trying to studying while you do all the mum stuff. I also give you 3 seconds to answer because you don't get three minutes to answer when you are a doctor. They need that information quickly."

"I know but do you have to keep picking on me. It is getting really old and annoying me. I know that I am a young mum but that was my choice and my choice shouldn't be judged by other people. So next time I answer a question and get it wrong can you cut the nasty comments at the end."

"Sure Meredith. I'm sorry. It's just that you remind me an awful lot like my wife. With your curly blond hair and your green eyes. It is a splitting image of her also of my daughter. She died in childbirth with my son and daughter 25 years ago. My daughter is about to have a baby and I'm scared that she might die like my wife. I'm just jealous as well I guess. You have a family. I had half a family."

"I'm so sorry to hear that."

"No it's fine."

"Sir can I tell you something."

"Sure."

"This is quite personal but for me growing up it was exactly the same. My dad left. My mum didn't care. I looked after my younger brother and sister. My step dad was more of a parent then my actual ones. I love my family so much and nothing will change that. I had my mother around but she wasn't around. Your kid's mother wasn't around but you wish that they were. At least if you have one another is all that counts. It hasn't changed me without a mother and I'm sure if your daughter does have complications during birth her child will be fine. If she has a parent there that is all that counts."

"Thanks Meredith."

"Bye Sir."

"One more thing Meredith." He says. "Do you study?"

"Of course I do. When I'm in bed I study. Feeding Cooper I study. Every spare second I study."

"Good. Like I said you will be amazing."

"Thanks sir."

Meredith left and went to the car. She put Cooper in his seat and looked at the clock. It was 2 0'clock and Jasmine would be finished in 30 minutes.

"I think that we can pick Jasie up, get Kaylee then go for coffee. How does that sound." Meredith says to Cooper who just replies with baba ba. "Yeah I think that it is a good idea."

Meredith messaged Jasmine to meet her. She drove towards the school and picked her up.

"Hey Jas. How was your first day back?"

"Alright. Same old same old. Can we go for coffee please?"

"That's what we are doing. After we pick Kaylee up."

"Okay." Jasmine replied. She wasn't bright and cheerful like this morning she seemed more upset.

Meredith ran in and picked up Kaylee. On her way up she ran into Derek. He kissed her cheek.

"What are you up to now?"

"I'm going to go and get Kaylee and then we are going for some coffee and then going home to start dinner." Meredith tells him.

"Sounds good. I should be off early today. By the looks of it I am finished and just need to stay until 5 and I'm off."

"Sounds great. I'll see you soon." She says kissing him goodbye.

"Sure will." He hugs her. "Bye. Love you."

"Love you to."

Meredith gets Kaylee and they go back down to the car and go out for some coffee.

The four of them were sitting down. Jasmine was silent and playing with the sugar in the jar. Kaylee was talking about everything that happened to her at the crèche today. Meredith just nodded her head and smiled at her.

"Can we go now?" Jasmine asks.

"Sure. Kaylee you finished?"

"Yes mummy."

"Okay let's get going."

They all left and got home. Jasmine went straight upstairs to her room. Meredith left Kaylee to play with her toys and left Cooper in his bouncer. She went up to her room. She knocked on the door and then opened it.

Jasmine was on the bed. Her back to the door. Meredith could hear the sobs escaping her mouth. Meredith lay down behind her. She held Jasmine's hands in hers. Jasmine just broke into more tears. Meredith soothed her.

"Shh. It's okay Jas. Just let it all out."

After ten minutes Jasmine had quieted down and the tears had stopped.

"What happened today?"

"All the kids at school just pointed and stared at me. They have nicknames for me. They have lashed out at me those were the mean girls. Then there were the ones who felt sorry for me and would keep asking me questions about it or they would just sit and stare. Even across my locker they wrote stuff about me. Like I deserved it. And the rapist has a nephew in my year and he just kept death staring me because I put his uncle in jail. Why do they have to be so mean?"

"I know sweetie. Exact same thing happened to me when I was pregnant with Kaylee. Kids do these things to make them feel better or to fit in. You should just ignore them and not listen."

"I know."

Jasmine's phone went off and she checked it.

I'm going to go for a walk."

"Sure. Get some fresh air. You need it."

They both got up and Jasmine hugged Meredith before leaving. Meredith followed her downstairs.

"Be back soon and don't hurt yourself."

"Okay see you soon."

Jasmine walked out of the door and got down the footpath when her phone started ringing.

Meredith got to studying.

"Hello Billie where are you meeting me?" She asked her sister. "At the park. Next to the toilets. Meet you there."

She headed to the park and went to the toilet block.

"Billie it's me. Where are you?"

Billie came out from behind the toilet block with a baby in her arms.

Her sister lived in poverty on the streets. Billie was the middle child. Between Jasmine and their older sister Nina. Billie always lived on the dark side. When she hit high school she fell in with the wrong crowd. She would always sneak off at night to join in the group's activities. Which usually involved parties which had every drug you could think of, drinking and engaging in sex with anyone who carried every diseases imaginable. Billie was the youngest in the group at the time she joined and didn't have much say. So she was always traded off for sex with people who provided the drugs. So Billie was sexually active by the time she was 12. She had boyfriends who were sometimes 10 years older than her. Her life just faded away by the time she was 12.

Ever since her parents kicked her out when she was 14 for falling pregnant. She had the baby but child services took the baby away. She was pregnant again and the baby died in birth. Then she found out she was pregnant again. Jasmine was the only one in the family that still talked to her. Everyone else had shunned Billie. Jasmine would meet her once a month to give her some food and some money.

"Billie what do you want?"

"I need you to take her for me."

"But Billie I can't. It isn't the right thing to do."

"Yes it is. I can't have a baby on the streets with me. She will be taken away from me. This way will be better besides my new boyfriend doesn't like the idea of having a baby in his life. He will leave me." She says handing the baby over who is crying.

"Billie come on this is your daughter."

"Not anymore. She is now your baby."

"No she's not."

They hear sirens in the background.

"I need to go. Take her. Raise her right. I'll see you in a month's time."

"Hang on Billie." She takes money out of her pocket and hands it to Billie along with a bag of food. "Use it wisely. Don't spend it all at once."

"I won't. Bye Jas. Raise her right."

Billie disappears back behind the toilets. The baby only has a blanket around her. The blanket is quite old and ratty. The baby is precious. Jasmine takes the bag off her shoulder. She put a towel in there. She wrapped the baby in the towel. She held her close to her body.

"Hey it's okay. How about we get you home and feed you and put you in some warm clothes."

Jasmine started walking home. How was she going to explain this to Meredith and Derek? She could go home and stay there now and they wouldn't need to know about the baby or she could do the right thing by handing her over to the hospital to be taken away. She was just going to go home to Meredith and tell her that she found the baby.

Jasmine walked through the front door into the kitchen where Meredith was.

"Meredith."

Meredith turns around and looks at Jasmine before looking down at the baby. She is shocked.

"Jasmine where'd you get that baby from?"

"Someone dumped her. I heard her crying and knew that instead of leaving her to die that I should bring her home." Jasmine lies.

"You did the right thing Jas. Um I will run her a bath and get her some clothes and make a bottle for her."

Jasmine followed her into the bathroom where Meredith filled the sink up with warm water to bath the baby.

Meredith started bathing her.

"God she is only tiny."

"I know. Hopefully she will be fine."

After bathing her they dressed her in. They baby still had her umbilical cord attached. Her fingers were so small so where her toes. She was so small all together.

They took her downstairs and Meredith started making a bottle for her.

"Here put this around her. Derek should be home soon." Meredith says handing her a blanket.

Jasmine wrapped the blanket around her. She held her close to her body. Meredith handed Jas a bottle and Jasmine started feeding her.

"I can't believe someone dumped this baby."Meredith says.

"I know."

After the baby finished drinking Jasmine got her back to sleep.

"You know Jas we will have to take her to the hospital and hand her over."

"I know."

Derek walked through the door into the lounge room.

"Who had a baby?" He asks.

"Someone dumped the baby. Jasmine found her and brought her home."

"All she had around her was a blanket. I couldn't leave her to die."

"You did the right thing Jasie but we are going to have to take her to the hospital."

"I know." Jasmine says upset.

Meredith takes him into the hallway.

"She has had a shitty day. This is keeping her happy. Can you just let her have a moment with the baby even do a check up on the baby and ask her some questions about the baby?"

"Sure."

He walks back into the lounge.

"Okay I'm going to do a work up on her just to make sure she is healthy to stay here a little while longer." He takes the baby back and does a work up on her. "Can you tell me how she was when you found her?"

"Well she was in a box with a towel covering it. She wasn't wrapped up in a blanket nor had any clothes on. I found the umbilical cord still attached to her. So I picked her up and brought her here because I couldn't leave her there by herself to die. So I did what I had to and brought her home here to have a feed and be dressed."

"Okay. Well every sounds good and looks good. After dinner we will take her to the hospital and they will go from there. Sound good?" He asks handing her the baby back.

"Sure. Thanks Derek."

"No worries. So what's for dinner?" He asks walking into the kitchen.

"I have to do this sweetie. Your mummy asked me to look after you but I can't. This is the right thing to do but it is also breaking my heart." She says tracing her cheek with her finger.

After dinner Derek and Jasmine headed off to the hospital to hand the baby in.

"This is the right thing for her Jas."

"Yeah I know."

They arrived at the hospital and headed straight up to the paediatric ward. Jasmine just carried her as Derek talked to the staff at the front desk.

"Jas we are going to go into the nursery and she is going to be given another check up and then they will admit her and go from there. So just follow the nurse."

"Will I be able to stay with her for a little while?"

Derek goes to say no but remembers what Meredith told him. "Of course. We can stay as long as you want."

Jasmine nods her head and follows the nurse into the nursery where the paediatrician is meeting them.

"Okay can you lay her down on here for me and I'll just check her."

The check up is done.

"She is in healthy shape."

"She is so small though."

"I know but she is healthy as can be. She was probably 4 weeks early."

"Can you tell how old she is?" She asks.

"By the looks of it about 3 to 4 hours old. She would have been 1 hour when you found her cause the cord was still attached. She is a fighter."

"What is going to happen to her?"

"Well the police will have to have a word. Then they will bring out a campaign to find the missing mother. She will stay in foster care for two months until someone comes forward and if nobody does she will be put up for adoption."

Jasmine swallows the lump in her throat. They were going to take this baby away. She was family. She was her baby niece. How can she leave her behind?

"Okay."

She was the only one who could change this baby's future.

**What'd you think? Let me know. Review please.**

**The next chapter follows straight on after this.**


	12. A Happy Family?

**So here is the next chapter, a follow on from last.**

**Enjoy...**

_She was the only one who could change this baby's future._

Jasmine had sat with the baby for over an hour. Derek had gone home and Meredith had swapped places with him and went to the hospital with Jasmine. The baby was in the humidly crib and Jasmine sat stroking her hand.

"I must say she has the same nose as you and the same eyes." Meredith says.

"Funny that. I didn't notice."

They sat for another few minutes in silence. The silence was killing her. It was making her more nervous. Jasmine felt she had to spit it out.

"Jasmine do you know whose baby this is?" Meredith asks.

Dammit. She figured out that I knew.

"No I don't."

"Come on Jas let's go for a walk." Meredith says.

"I can't leave her by herself."

"Of course you can. She'll be fine. Besides she is sleeping."

They went for a walk down to the cafeteria.

"Jasmine this is important. Who does the baby belong to?"

Jasmine is silent.

"Come on. It is pretty simple to read it on your face. You know who it belongs to. If you say who it is it will change the future of the baby."

"Okay do you know how I went on that walk? Well I met up with my sister Billie."

"You have another sister. I thought it was just you and Nina."

"No Billie is 18. She was kicked out of home 4 years ago because she was pregnant. So she has been living on the streets since then. She had the baby but child services took him away. Then she fell pregnant again but lost the baby. I meet Billie every month to give her food and money and also prenatal vitamins. I'm the only one in the family that talks to her. She has been shunned by everyone except me. I knew she was pregnant and I knew she was due to have a baby in a few weeks. So today when she called me I went and met her and she handed the baby over to me. To raise and give a future to. I can't raise a baby on my own so I brought her home to your house."

"And lied about finding her so it was easier to get away with and get rid of the baby."

"Yeah."

"Jas that is your niece up there. Do you want to see her go through all this pain of not being loved? You should tell the truth and then the baby will most likely be placed in your family and not adopted out."

"I know but no one in my family talks to her. How do you think they will react when Billie has given birth to another baby? I don't think they will be to please."

"Jasmine I know that they kicked her out but your parents should not leave their granddaughter behind. If you tell them about it."

"I don't know. They are hard people to persuade."

"Just tell them that Billie has given birth and she needs them to raise the baby."

"Okay I will call them in the morning."

"Jasmine has your sister had any medical treatment since giving birth."

"I don't think so."

"Okay how about we get Callie or Arizona to do a check up on her."

"She is hard to get a hold of and doesn't want to go near a hospital."

"It doesn't have to be in a hospital. Get her to meet us at the park or the car park."

"Sure. I'll give her a ring now if you can get Callie or Arizona to check her."

"I will. I have my ways."

Meredith calls Arizona first.

"Hey Arizona. I need a favour."

"_What is it Mer?"_

"Okay well it is a long story but we need you to come with us and check a friend. She has just had a baby and needs some medical attention."

"_I'm sorry but that is stepping the line what if the Chief finds out. I could lose my job."_

"No you won't. I will talk to him about it."

"_Okay sure. I'm just about to leave the hospital. Where are we going to meet?"_

"I'm here as well. Give us 10 minutes and we can go. I'm at the cafeteria now."

"_I'll meet you there."_

"Thank you Arizona. See you soon."

"_Bye Mer."_

Meredith hung up the phone and Jasmine dialled her sisters' number.

"Billie you need to meet me somewhere." She says down the phone. "It is for your health and safety. So where is somewhere you can meet us. I'm at the hospital now. No I haven't. At the back end of the car park sounds good. See you in 15 minutes."

Jasmine hangs up the phone.

"We are good to go."

After meeting up with Arizona they headed down to where Billie said she would meet them. They waited for Billie to show up. She finally did and Jasmine approached her.

"Okay I have a doctor here who is going to check you over."

"I don't want them to know."

"They won't find out. She is keeping quiet because if they find out then she will lose her job so this is a confidential thing and no one will ever know."

"Okay then."

"So follow me and we can get started."

She leads Billie towards Meredith and Arizona and they head inside the clinic. It is after hours and nobody is in there. Arizona gets her up on the bed.

"I'm Dr Robbins. I'm just going to ask you a few questions. Have you sustained any pain or have had any bleeding since the delivery?"

"I've had no pain and there was a little bleeding."

"Okay good. So I'm just going to check you for any tearing and will stitch you up and you should be good to go."

After examining her she was good to go. Arizona gave her some medication and she had left.

"Thank you so much." Jasmine says.

"That's fine Jasmine. Can I just ask? Was that your sister?"

"Yeah that was."

"Where is the baby?"

"In the nursery. We brought her in for a check up because she is quite tiny and to make sure she is healthy."

"So she isn't keeping the baby."

"No. She handed her over to me to look after but we brought her here and are hoping that my mum and dad will take her."

"Okay. Well I'm going home to bed. Remember not a word to anyone."

"We know." They say walking out to the nursery.

As they head towards the nursery.

"Jas we have to tell them that you know who owns the baby."

Jasmine walks to the desk.

"The baby girl in there. I know who her mum is." The nurse just nods her head.

"Okay I'm going to call for the Doctor and the Chief.

Jasmine explained everything to Richard and the Doctor.

"Jasmine why didn't you say that straight away?" Richard asks.

"Because I thought if I lied it would be easier to slip by and let her have a better family but I realise that I am her family and passing her off isn't the best decision."

"Well we are going to have to go to social services and they are going to try and get in contact with your sister and ask what she wants for this baby. If she does want her placed in the care of her arms then you have the right to keep her and decide her future."

"God that's a lot of power."

"I know but she did want you so let's just ask her."

"If I am named as career she will be looked after my parents I want us to be a family."

"Okay Jasmine. They have to agree on that. How about you two go home. I'm sure you have school tomorrow and Cooper will want his mum. So we will call you tomorrow when we know any more info."

"Okay, come on Jas. We can say goodnight to the baby and get going." Meredith says leading her out of the room.

They go up to the nursery and Jasmine holds her.

"I think she needs a name Jas."

"Yeah."

"You can name her."

"I like Asher."

"So Asher it is."

"Hello Asher. I know that this is scary but it will be sorted out. Hopefully your grandparents can get over to the fact that you came from Billie."

She placed her back in the crib and they left. They walked through the front door at 10.30. Kaylee was in bed and Cooper could be heard crying from upstairs. Jasmine went for a shower while Meredith went into the bedroom.

"Oh just in time. This one wants his mum." Derek says. Meredith goes over and kisses him before falling next to him on the bed taking Cooper into her arms and starts feeding him.

"So how's the situation."

"Well you wouldn't believe it but the baby is actually Jasmine's niece. Her sister Billie handed her over because her first baby was taken by social services and the second one died in childbirth. Billie has been disowned since she was 14 years old because of falling pregnant. Everyone shunned Billie except for Jas. So she visits her every month and gives her money, food and others things to keep her alive."

"Far out."

"Far out isn't the word."

"I know. I was gonna say something else but this one is awake. So what's happening with the baby?"

"Well Asher."

"Asher?"

"Jasmine named her. They are talking to Billie and seeing what she wants with the baby. If she names Jasmine as the guardian than it is up to Jasmine to decide what she wants for the baby."

"And what does Jas want for Asher."

"She wants her parents to welcome the baby into their arms and for them to forgive and forget about kicking Billie out. Jas wants a lot of things. She just wants them to be a family again."

"I know. Some families are messed up. You can't choose your family Cooper. Some are supportive some aren't. That's just the way it goes."

"I want Linda and Paul to get over their daughter who they see as a disappointment. She is their daughter and they just left her on the streets. Just because she stuffed up doesn't mean that they can disown her. I know my mother did but I wasn't left to die."

"I know."

"Me and Billie had our babies the same year do you realise that."

"Now I do."

"God that poor boy is in foster care."

"Meredith do you know that if Billie cleans herself up and gets her life back on track then she could get her boy back."

"I know. My fingers are crossed that Jasmine can convince her parents to let her back home so she can get her life on track and she can see her boy again and raise her little girl."

"Oh well that is their mess to figure out."

"I know."

"So what happened today apart from this whole baby mess?"

Meredith tells Derek what happened while she gets Cooper asleep.

...

The rest of the week went by. Jasmine's parents cut short their holiday to come home to sort all this mess out.

Jackson and Jasmine picked them up from the airport. Her dad greeted her but her mum didn't say a word. They didn't even ask about the cast around her arm.

"Nice to see you to mum." Jasmine said as she passed her.

They drove them home.

"Mum we need to do this. Billie didn't mean to hurt you. She didn't mean to hurt dad. She didn't mean to hurt anyone. She just fell in the wrong crowd. And the moment she feel pregnant was your time to kick her out. She was only a kid and you kicked her out on her arse. You are exactly like Meredith's mum. When she was pregnant she was kicked out but she had Derek's family who loved her more. You need to let Billie move back in or I'm leaving home because I've had enough with you. She is your daughter mum how could you kick your daughter out."

"Jasmine she got pregnant she gave this family a bad name."

"Yeah mum and I got raped are you going to kick me out because I bring a bad name to the family."

"Jas. You got raped why didn't you tell me?"

"Because mum you were on the other side of the country. You left me alone because Nina moved out. You should have known that Nina would move out. So I was home alone and went to a party and walked home in the middle of the night and was raped. I didn't have any parents in town so Meredith and Derek looked after me. Meredith did everything for me. She missed her own birthday party and her daughters' party because she was looking after me. She held my hand when things got scary mum. Instead of you and dad. She is more of a mum then you are right now and if you loved me you would ask Billie to come back home. Help her get her life back on track. Look after Asher until Billie is healthy then she might get your grandson back."

"Jasmine we are not doing this now. We just had a very long flight. We will talk about it later."

"Mum now is never the right time. I'm going to Meredith's and Derek's at least they care enough to look after me through all this mess." She says. Linda grabs Jasmine's arm as she leaves. "They have been the best parents to me in the last 2 weeks then you have in my 16 years that I have been alive for. It's shameful that some other parents are better than my own parents. Come on Jackson lets go."

Jasmine tried to pull her arm away but Linda slapped her across the face. Jasmine held her face.

Jasmine storms out of the house with Jackson and they head to Meredith and Derek's. As soon as they walked through the front door Jasmine ran straight into Meredith arms crying.

"Hey it's alright." Meredith says soothing her. "How about I get you a drink and you can tell me what happened."

Meredith got her settled down again and she had explained everything to her.

"I can't believe that I yelled at them."

"Jasmine that was your way of getting it all out."

"I know but I yelled at mum more than anything. I even told her that I got raped." She said in tears again.

There was a knock at the front door 2 hours later. Derek answered with Cooper in his arms. Linda and Paul were standing there.

"Is Jasmine here?" Linda asks.

"Yeah she is come on through."

He led them into the kitchen and went and told Jasmine that they were here. Meredith walked in behind Jasmine.

"What are you doing here?"

"We thought about what you said. If you can get Billie to come and see us we are more than happy to have her move back in with us and get her back on her feet and get her clean."

"What about Asher?"

"And for Asher we will have her at home with us. Once Billie is on her feet she can mother Asher and..."

"Boyd."

"Asher and Boyd will have their mum again."

"Good. I'm going to go and get Billie and see if she wants to meet with you but if she doesn't then I don't blame her."

Jasmine and Jackson head outside. Jasmine rings Billie.

"Come on pick up pick up." Jasmine says into the phone.

"Hello Billie."

"_What's up Jas?"_

"Okay mum and dad want to see you."

"_I don't want to see them."_

"Just hear them out. Can you meet us somewhere and we will take you to visit them. Just listen to what they want to say and you can decide."

"_Okay sure. I'll meet you at the park. Where we met on Tuesday."_

"Sure Billie. See you in ten minutes."

Jasmine hangs up and they head to the park where they get Billie and go back to Meredith and Derek's. Jasmine leads her inside to the kitchen. Linda and Paul are sitting and when they see Billie they get up and move towards her.

"Billie. God we haven't seen you in ages."

"I know. That's what happens when you shun me. What do you want?"

"Well we have a proposition. We want to help you get your life back on track. So if you decide to come home with us we will help you get clean, get a job and become a mother to your kids. We will look after Asher and when you show that you have changed your life Boyd will be placed back in your arms."

"I don't want any help."

"Billie this is something that can help change your life. Instead of living on the streets without any food, clothing and shelter you will have your home back." Paul says. "We want you back home."

"Dad you's kicked me out when I was pregnant. You thought I was a disgrace to the family and brought a bad name to it. I have been on my own for the past 4 years. Why should I come back home."

"We are sorry that we kicked you out. We shouldn't have. When we hear about it now we feel like the worst parents in the world. The exact same thing happened to Meredith. Her mum kicked her out but she had a family to go to. You didn't because we made everyone in this family shun you everyone did apart from Jasmine. She cared for you because she loves you. If you don't move in for us then move in for Jas. She needs you and she wants you to get your life back on track."

Billie stands there.

"I'm only doing this for Jas and for Boyd and Asher. I want my babies back. I want to see Boyd again."

"Well this first step has gotten you closer to him." Paul says. "I missed you honey." He says hugging her.

"I know me to dad." She says accepting his embrace. "I know that you had no say in me being kicked out." Billie whispers to her dad.

"I know. I should have fought harder."

"So Billie if you want we can go home get you showered and fed and placed in new clothes and we can visit Asher if you want."

"Sure."

"Bye." Linda says walking out the door.

"Bye guys thanks for what you have done." Billie says.

"We didn't do anything. It was your sister here who done it all."

"I know but you convinced her to tell the truth." Billie walks out the door as well.

Jasmine turns to Meredith.

"I did it. I've got my family back." Jasmine says jumping up and down and hugging Meredith then Derek and kissing Jackson.

"You sure did. Now go with your family."

Jasmine runs out the door following them.

"I'm going to head off. I have to work."

"Sure Jackson. See you soon."

Jackson leaves and Meredith turns to Derek and puts her arms around his neck.

"She actually convinced her parents to do all this. She has brought her family together which is a great thing." Meredith says.

"I know. It is a good day when that happens."

"Sure is." She says kissing him.

"Mummy, daddy." They hear from behind them.

They turn to see Kaylee standing there. Meredith bends down to pick her up.

"What's wrong?"

"I love you." She says.

"Oh we love you to sweetie." Meredith says hugging her.

Derek leans over and kisses her forehead.

"How about we go for a walk to the park and get some ice cream." Derek says.

"Yeah let's get going." Kaylee says.

They both just laugh.

"Come on let's go." Meredith says.

**What'd you think? Let me know.**

**I might not update for a while. A friend of mine passed away on the weekend in a car accident and his funeral is tomorrow. It has been a crazy week so I apologize. **

**Next chapter is Cooper teething.**


	13. Just Wait, It Will Happen

**Sorry for the delay, I have been flat out busy with assignments and things that weren't very fun.**

**This chapter is just Cooper teething.**

**Enjoy**

Meredith had been up for almost all night with Cooper crying. It was breakfast time when she had Kaylee and Cooper in the kitchen eating their breakfast.

Derek had the night shift last night. Friday night late shift.

Kaylee was in her chair eating breakfast and Cooper was crying. He was whingeing and very clingy to Meredith. Meredith realised that he was teething. He was just 4 months old and had started to teeth.

"Mummy why is Cooper crying?"

"Because his teeth are coming through. It is pretty painful for him."

"Will a hug stop him and make him feel better?"

"I'm not sure. How about you try." Meredith said to her.

Meredith sat down on the chair and Kaylee came and gave him a hug. He stopped crying for a few seconds when Kaylee was hugging him. When she let go he started crying again.

"I think he wants you to hug him."

Kaylee started hugging him again and he stopped.

"Okay come and sit down on the lounge and you can hold him while I run to the toilet." Meredith says. "Remember that you hold him tightly and don't let him go."

She puts Cooper in Kaylee's arms and goes to the toilet.

Kaylee sits there holding his hand.

"Hey it's alright Coopie. There's no need to cry. It will be better soon. I promise." She says.

He puts her hand in his mouth and starts sucking on it.

"Coopie why are you sucking my hand."

Cooper just smiles and continues sucking it.

"You're a cheeky boy aren't you? I think you are."

Meredith walks back into the lounge with a teething ring.

"Here you go sweetie give this to him. It will help relieve his mouth a bit."

Kaylee swaps her hand with the teething ring and he starts sucking on it.

"Mummy Coopie put my hand in his mouth and was sucking it." She says.

"Was he. You must taste yummy."

"Don't be silly mummy. You can't eat me."

"I know but Cooper thinks he can."

"His only a baby. He doesn't know the difference." Kaylee tells her.

"That is right."

They hear the front door open.

"Who's that?" Meredith asks.

"Is it daddy?"

"Go and have a look." She says taking Cooper into her arms as she ran out to the foyer.

"Daddy." Meredith hears.

"Hello baby girl." He picks her up into his arms and hugs her. "I missed you."

"Me too."

"Where's mummy?"

"She is with Coopie. Coopie is getting teeth and is crying."

"Is he?"

"Yeah but the crying stopped because I held him then he put my hand in his mouth."

"Did he just. He must have thought you tasted yummy."

"That's what mummy said but you can't eat me."

"I'm sure I could." He says lifting her pyjama shirt and blowing raspberries on her belly. A fit of giggles echo throughout the house.

Meredith stands up and goes into the foyer where she sees Kaylee getting raspberries on her stomach.

"Stop it daddy. Please daddy stop." She says in between giggles.

He stops and moves towards Meredith kissing her.

"Hey." He says. "You're looking tired."

"I am. I have been up with Cooper all night. He is teething."

"Yeah Kaylee just told me. Have you given him the teething ring?"

"Yeah he is laying down on his back sucking on it. He has been pretty clingy and has been whinging every time I put him down."

"Did you sleep at all?"

"I had a few hours until he started crying and I tried to feed him but he would feed so I laid him on my chest and he sucked on my fingers for most the night. I had my eyes shut when he was on my chest."

"Do you want a nap now?"

"No I'm fine. I want to spend some time with you."

"Same." He says kissing her. "And you to Kaylee."

"What are our plans for today?" Meredith asks.

"I don't know but I would really love a shower and some breakfast." Derek says.

"Go have a shower. I'll entertain these two and then we can decide what we want to do."

Derek puts Kaylee back on the ground and she runs into the lounge room and Meredith follows. Meredith puts Cooper into the bouncer. Meredith sits the bouncer in front of her and watches him.

His eyelids are getting heavy.

"Go to sleep little boy. You must be tired."

Cooper's eyes finally shut and he is asleep.

"Is he asleep mummy?" Kaylee asks sitting next to her on the lounge.

"He sure is."

"Coopie is cute when he sleeps."

"Why do you think that?"

"I don't know but babies are always cute to watch."

"I know. I used to love watching you sleep. You looked like an angel all the time and it made me feel peaceful as well."

"Do you still wish I was a baby?"

"All the time but you will always be my baby. You were my first born."

"And your only daughter."

"Yes."

"Mummy can I get a sister."

"Sweetie you just got a baby brother."

"I know but I want a sister."

"How about in a couple of years and you can get a sister."

"Okay mummy. Thank you." She says kissing her.

Kaylee gets off the lounge and Meredith just watches her leave the room. Meredith sits admiring Cooper when the doorbell rings. She gets up and answers it to Steph, Sam and Zoe.

"Hey guys how are we today?"

"Good. How are you?"

"Tired but good." Sam holds his arms out to her.

Meredith takes him into her arms.

"God you're getting a big boy aren't you." Meredith says to him.

"Where's Kay?"

"Kaylee is. I'm not sure she left the lounge room so she must be up in her room or outside." She says to him. "Let's go and find her."

Meredith and Sam go upstairs to look in her room. She isn't in there. When they walk out Derek is walking down the hall.

"I thought I heard you Mr Sam."

Sam turns and smiles at him. Derek grabs his hand.

"Derek."

"Hi Sam. What are you doing?"

"Looking for Kay."

"Okay."

They walk down the stairs out to the backyard. Kaylee is playing in her sandpit.

"Kaylee look who's here."

Kaylee looks up and sees Sam.

"Sam."

Meredith places Sam on the ground and he runs over to her and goes and plays in the sand.

"Kaylee you are still in your pyjamas. Let's get you changed."

"Come Sam."

The two run inside holding hands.

Meredith changed Kaylee and they were back outside again. Zoe now has joined in playing with them.

Steph, Meredith and Derek sat on the veranda watching them playing together.

"So the wedding is in a week Steph. How are you feeling?"

"Nervous but excited. I really love Daniel. I didn't think that I would love again but Dan is so sweet."

Daniel and Steph met each other at work. He asked her out on a date about a year and a bit ago and she accepted because he was sweet and caring. Steph loved the date that they continued dating. Daniel has a 20 month old daughter Zoe. Her mum died in a fire at her work when Zoe was just 6 weeks old. After 8 months of dating they moved into together and on their 1st anniversary he proposed to her and they were getting married 5 months after the proposal.

"Well he is really sweet. Zoe definitely takes after him. She is so sweet as well." Meredith says.

"I know. You know I was never determined to love again but I have a feeling that Mitch is watching me and he is agreeing. He wants me to be happy and I always get this good vibe whenever I think of him."

"I know but Dan I believe is good for you. If he does hurt you I will have to hurt him myself." Derek says.

"Thanks Derek for being all protective but I know that he won't."

"Good because I don't want to hurt myself."

"Oh you poor baby." Meredith says patting his cheek.

"You are looking tired Mer."

"I know. Cooper has started teething so I was up all night with him. He didn't want to be put down. I tried feeding him but he wouldn't take my boob. So I just let him lay on my chest sucking my fingers. He is only 4 months though."

"4 months seems quick but I think they are just ready to come out. He is a determined baby."

"He sure is. I lay him on his tummy now and he lifts his head and he tries to start moving on his tummy. Commando crawling. He is growing fast."

"He sure is. I will be surprised if he is walking before he is one."

"I know. Even when you hold him he likes to stand up."

"Getting his legs ready. Sam was like that but not until about 5 and a half months. He would want to stand instead of sit but he didn't start walking until he was 12 months though so he wasn't as determined as Coop."

"Yeah Kaylee started walking when she was almost 11 months."

"You have determined kids."

"I sure do. When I had Jackson and Charlie here I would be sitting feeding her and then he legs would start moving towards the ground and she would take off chasing the kids and I have noticed now that when I feed Cooper if Kaylee is in the room he follows her with his eyes."

"I remember Kaylee doing that. She would be feeding and she would just take off."

"So I stopped feeding at 12 months because of that."

"I think that is a good time to stop but it's the parent's choice initially."

Cooper crying comes through the door and outside.

"I'll get him." Derek says.

"Thanks. He probably wants his feed. He hasn't eaten since I put him to bed last night which was at 9."

"12 hours without a feed. He must be starving but teething is hard though."

Derek walks back out with Cooper and passes him to Meredith. Meredith starts feeding him. He feeds for a few minutes until he stops and throws all the milk back up and starts crying.

"You're not a happy boy are you." Meredith says.

She starts cleaning herself up and passes Cooper back to Derek to nurse.

"Meredith will he be fine with not eating because when Kaylee teethed she was fine. She didn't whinge she was happy to play but she did have the runs though."

"I'm not sure I might have to make an appointment with the peadiatriton for first thing Monday morning."

"But you have school."

"It's my tests and it doesn't start until after lunch. So if I call her and ask for an early appointment I will be able to go in."

"I'll go and make an appointment now."

"Thanks."

Derek got up and left with Cooper still in his arms. Meredith and Steph sat out on the veranda watching the kids.

"He should be fine. Just wait for the teeth to pop through."

"But they could take a month to pop through. I don't want him underweight he does need to eat."

"Yes I know. You just need to relax."

"I know. I am calm."

"No you're not."

"Shut up." Meredith says smiling.

Kaylee then comes running up to Meredith.

"Mummy can I stay at Sam's tonight?"

Meredith turns to Steph and Steph just nods her head.

"Sure but you're going to have to ask aunty Steph."

"Stephy can I please stay at your house tonight?"

"Of course you may."

Kaylee turns and runs off the deck back down to the sandpit.

"She's happy." Steph says.

"She sure is. Nothing could bring that little girl down."

...

After lunch Steph, Kaylee, Sam and Zoe left. Meredith and Derek were trying to get Cooper to feed.

"Come on Coop do it for mummy." Meredith said trying to feed him.

Cooper just cries the whole time. So Meredith sits him over her shoulder and rubs his back.

"Hey it's okay Coop. I know you want to feed but you can't." Meredith says. "You'll just have to wait until your teeth pop through."

Meredith keeps rubbing his back and the crying stops.

"Is he asleep?" Derek asks.

"Um yeah he is."

"That's good. The appointment is for 8.00. She is coming in early for you guys."

"She is like that though. She loves helping kids."

"Here let me take him and put him in his cot and we can go and lay down because I am so tired."

"Me too."

Derek takes Cooper and places him over his shoulder and they both go upstairs. Derek puts him to bed and then goes into the bedroom and lies down next to Meredith wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close to his body.

"How was work yesterday?" She asks.

"Boring I done sutures all night. All the drunks had come through and had cut their hands on glass from punch ups or from throwing their hands through windows. That's what happened."

"Sounds fun."

"What did you do?"

"I went to school and got lectured on how we should study for our exams then I came home and got dinner ready fed and bathed the kids. Put them to bed studied then went to sleep for a few hours until Cooper started crying."

"Sounds fun as well."

"Not really. Anyway this morning when you went for a shower Kaylee and I were watching Coop sleep and she was like I want a baby sister and I said but you just got a baby brother then she was like yeah but I want a sister."

"She wants a sister. I knew that was going to happen. What did you say to her?"

"You'll have to wait a few years."

"Yes she will we can make her one now."

"Derek we made a deal that no kids until after my internship and when I have been a resident for a year or two."

"I know we did, we still have our baby anyway."

"Yes I would like him to be the baby for a couple more years."

"What would you like to have next a little boy or girl?"

"I don't know. Maybe a girl. We have one of each now but a girl would be good."

"I know. You sure you only want 4 kids."

"I'm sure. Where would we fit any more kids?"

"We'll put them in our draws squish them in one room together. I don't know. We would find a way. Mum and dad did."

"Yes they did but I still only want the four if I still want to practice medicine."

"I know. It's hard but if you love them that's all that counts."

"Hmm we will love them and not be distant parents."

"Of course not. We will try and get home. Have them at work with us so we can visit them do everything we can for them?"

"I know that this is stupid question because we aren't having another baby but have you thought of any baby names or heard any that you like?"

"Kind of but then I imagine calling my kids with that name and it doesn't sound good it sounds like a porn name or a Hollywood name."

"I know. I don't want our kids having porn names."

"Me either."

"But I like Leon."

"Leon is cute. I like Zara."

"Zara is cute as well. The same with Halle and Mathew."

"Mathew is cute but Leon is cuter. It is a name that not many people have. Just imagine going through school and there being 4 or 5 Mathew's in his class. It would be torture."

"I know. It's just a name that I like."

"Anyway we have a long while to name our kids."

"Sure do."

They lay there for a few minutes.

"Hey Meredith we still haven't had our honeymoon yet."

"I know. It was a bit hard to have one when I was pregnant and we had a 3 year old."

"Well now we have 4 month old and a 4 year old."

"I know that. It's just a bad time."

"Well it is always a bad time."

"I really do want a honeymoon but it's too hard."

"Okay I have an idea. I have holidays after I finish my internship. We can go then. Cooper will be a year old and you will be waiting to start your internship. A great way to relax and you will be with me and we can do things that we can't do here."

"Sounds great." She says turning and facing him. "And we won't be interrupted and we can be as loud as we want."

"Exactly." Derek says kissing her.

"So where will we go?"

"Anywhere. Where we can be loud."

"Your land?" Meredith says.

"That sounds like an idea we can say we went to the moon but just camp out there."

"No I change my mind. I say somewhere warm because it is always cold here that time of year."

"So somewhere south. Florida. It's warm all year."

"Sounds good. You can book it."

"Why?" He asks.

"Because you love me."

"Oh you can't play that card." He says.

"Yes I can because you love me."

"True but you still can't play that card."

"Well you can book it anyway because I'm supposed to be studying for my exams."

"Well I can help you with that." He says leaning in closer to her kissing her.

"Can you just?"

"Sure can." He says taking her shirt off.

...

After their round of sex they went downstairs and booked their honeymoon for June of next year. Cooper was still asleep. They had ordered a pizza and sat on the lounge eating it. They were laughing at each and would kiss one another every second. It was like they were teenagers in love again.

Their night went by. Cooper finally woke and Meredith feed him and he actually ate this time and Meredith noticed that one tooth had popped through. He was much happier now. So they entertained him, played with him, read to him, sang to him and done everything else they could find to do. They bathed him and got him back to sleep.

Derek drew Meredith a bath and lit a bunch of candles.

He led her into the room. Covering her eyes and removed his hands.

"Oh you didn't have to do this for me."

"Yes I did because I love you."

"I love you to. Can we skip this and just get straight to the sex."

"Who said anything about sex?"

"Well husbands usually do this for their wives because they want something."

"Well I do want something for you to shut up and get in there so we can have sex."

With that Meredith was undressed and in the tub.

After the bath they laid in each other's arms in the darkness. Meredith had her head on Derek chest right where his heart was. She was asleep. Derek had his head on top of hers and held her close to his body. He was asleep as well.

Both of their snores filled the room with the moonlight shining through.

**What'd you think? Let me know. **

**Next chapter I will hopefully have up before Thursday. It will be Steph and Dan's wedding.**


	14. It Was Simple, It Was Me

**Sorry for the delay. My laptop stopped working and other things came up. Finally got it back and now here is the next chapter.**

**Its Steph and Dan's wedding.**

**Enjoy…**

That morning Meredith and Derek were up later than usual. They had a few hours sleep in. There were no kids in the house waking them up at 6 in the morning. Meredith looked over at the clock and saw that it was 9 o'clock. She moved out of Derek's embrace and headed down the stairs to get ready for Steph's wedding. Meredith was Steph's maid of honour. She was grabbing everything else that she hadn't packed.

Derek came down the stairs into the kitchen to see it covered in dresses and flowers and other things that he couldn't make out. He was only determined to get to the coffee machine before he asked any questions but that was stopped when he stubbed his toe on the chair.

"Shit." He said holding onto his toe.

"There was a chair there honey."

"I know now." He tells her placing his foot on the ground and turning on the coffee machine on.

The two of them had stayed out until 4 in the morning. With all the other members of the wedding party.

"Aren't you tired?" He asks.

"Nope."

"Why not."

"I don't know. I'm excited. I get to be maid of honour."

"Yeah I know."

She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Are you jealous that you weren't asked to be maid of honour?" She asks.

"Yeah I was torn when she chose you."

"Oh well there is always next time." She says.

He kisses her.

"Morning."

"Morning to you to." She says.

Derek picks her up and wraps her legs around his waist and he places her on the bench.

"Derek the kids could walk through the door any minute."

"Meredith we left them at Ma's and Cooper can't walk yet."

"You know what I mean." She says kissing him.

"So what time do we have to leave?"

"2."

"So do we have plenty of time for this?" He asks kissing her neck.

"We always had time for this."

...

The two of them ran out of the door 5 minutes after 2. They had everything packed in the car and headed towards Carolyn's to pick the kids up before heading for Steph's house. They walked through the front door and there were people everywhere. They were having the wedding at Steph and Dan's house. The boys had the downstairs and the girls had the upstairs. Meredith took Kaylee upstairs and they went into the huge rumpus room where she was sitting with Zoe, her sister Kimberly and her niece Polly.

"Hey Steph." Meredith says kissing her cheek. "Happy wedding day."

"Thank you. Hey Kaylee."

"Hi Stephy."

"So Derek is going to bring all the dresses and stuff upstairs for me."

"Isn't he a lovely husband?"

"He sure is."

Derek walked through the door with the dresses.

"Here he is. Thank you."

He lays them all down on the table and kisses Meredith.

"Cooper I think will need his feed now." Derek says.

"Okay can you bring him up and if I feed him now then he should sleep for the ceremony."

"Sure."

He turns and leaves them.

"He is so nice." Kimberly says.

"I know. I love him so much."

"He cares about you which is good."

"Yes he does but he also cares about everyone else in his life. The kids. His sisters. His nieces and Nephews. Steph. Pretty much everyone."

"Wow he has the nicest hair and eyes. Oh my god his eyes are amazing." Kim says.

"Kim calm down. Meredith is married to the guy and you're married as well." Steph says.

"It's okay I get it all the time."

"I'm just saying his eyes are amazing."

Everyone just laughs but stops when he walks through the door.

Derek walks through the door with Cooper and kisses her.

"What are you all laughing about he asks?"

"Um nothing. Just something that Steph said." Meredith says.

"No you were talking about daddy. Mummy don't lie." Kaylee says.

"What were you saying?"

"Kaylee you're not supposed to tell daddy that we were talking to him." Meredith says.

"Sorry mummy but you shouldn't lie."

"I know sweetie I shouldn't. I'm setting a bad example." She says.

"So what were you all laughing at?" He asks.

"Kim has a crush on you." Steph says.

"I do not. I was just saying how amazing your hair and your eyes are." She says embarrassed.

"Oh I get that all the time no need to be embarrassed." He says patting her back.

"I know Meredith told me. I'm just saying that your eyes are amazing and yeah."

Derek just smiles. "I'm going to leave you ladies to it. Let Kim get over her embarrassment and let you talk about me some more." He says before kissing Meredith. "I'll come and get him in half an hour or so."

He leaves the room and Kim follows him out with her eyes.

"Um Kim." Steph says.

"Yeah."

"You're married and so is he."

"I know it's just that he is so dreamy." She says.

Meredith just smiles and looks at Steph.

"We need to distract you now Kim. No more McDreamy thoughts for you." Steph says to her.

"I know but he is just so McDreamy if I weren't married and he wasn't I would mount him right now." She says.

"Kim." Meredith and Steph say.

"Oh woops sorry." She says. "What do you need me to do?"

"That's better." Steph says. "Meredith I apologize for her behaviour I think she has a tumour or she is still a little hung over."

"It's fine. Really it is. I'm used to it."

...

After getting dressed and having hair and makeup done the ceremony was ready to start. Meredith held Kaylee's hand going down the stairs and Kim, Steph and Polly followed.

The bridesmaid dresses were a lavender colour and where strapless. Steph's wedding dress was simple but elegant. It suited her slim frame so well. Strapless with a sweetheart neckline and crystal beading along the neckline. Her brown hair was out and was her natural wavy hair.

Meredith and Kimberly's hair was up in a simple pony tail.

Kaylee and Polly where in pink flower girl dresses that came to just below the knee with crystal beading along the straps and the neckline. Their hair was braided into to pony tails.

They made it to the door where they were walking down.

Their backyard was massive. It was 5 hectares' and overlooked the water.

The ceremony was set up in front of the water with a white gazebo covering the chairs. It was in the garden part of the yard. The sun could also be seen low in the sky ready to set. So they walked down towards the gazebo and got in order and headed down the aisle. Kimberly, followed by Meredith, then Polly followed by Kaylee. Steph followed Kaylee down. She looked amazing. The sun was following her down.

She made it to the front were Dan was standing. He was smiling as he watched her walk down the aisle.

The ceremony started just as the sun started to go down. It let off beautiful reds, oranges and a hint of purple through the sky creating a beautiful backdrop for them.

It went by smoothly until Sam interrupted them.

"Mummy I picked this flower for you." He said.

"Thanks sweetie but remember that we are in the middle of something."

"I know. It just wanted to give you it before it ended because it is beautiful like you."

"Awe." Sounded through the audience.

They got back on track and the ceremony finished with the two of them becoming husband and wife.

About a million photos were taken and everyone mingled with each other. Derek and Meredith were sitting down with Cooper on one of the chairs watching the kids running around after each other.

"We probably should have taken Kaylee out of her dress." Meredith says.

"I know. She will probably have it black by the end of the night."

"I want to make her change but she is having so much fun."

"I know. I can't wait until this little one is old enough to start walking and running. Then Kaylee can chase around her little brother."

"Hey this little one looks like he will be walking soon. He has almost gotten the commando crawling thing down pat."

"I know he does. I want another baby." He says.

"Derek we still have a baby. Who was only born 4 months ago? If you want a kid go pop one out yourself." She says.

"I don't want one now but soon. In the next few years. Just look at Kaylee don't you want her to have more siblings to chase after."

"Yes I do but we did say that not for a few years."

"I know we did. I just want those years to hurry up cause our kids are amazing and I love them."

"I know me to." She says kissing him. "How cute was Sam in the ceremony."

"Adorable must I say. That's why I brought up the more babies. That just made my heart sink."

"He is a heartbreaker and he is so sweet. When he was born he was like that."

"And we get the joy of looking after Sam and Zoe for the next 6 days. Which will be fun."

"I know but I'm a little scared with Zoe."

"Why?"

"Because I have never looked after her by myself."

"She will be fine Meredith. She is one of the most easy going kids ever, she shouldn't be a hassle."

"I know I just don't want to break her."

"You won't. It will be fine." He says kissing.

Kaylee then comes running over to them with Sam following.

"Mummy daddy, Stephy said that she needs you two."

"Okay we're on our way now." Derek says.

Kaylee and Sam then run away towards the house holding hands. Derek takes Cooper from Meredith and the two of them walk hand in hand towards the house. Mimicking Kaylee and Sam.

"Do you think Sam and Kaylee will get married?" Meredith says.

"I don't know. They are 4 years old. Well Kaylee is Sam almost is. We shouldn't think about that for another 50 years."

"So you don't want your daughter to get married until she is 54."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Well at first it was no date until 28 but then it went up to 38 then 48. Now it is 58."

"Why don't you want her dating then?"

"Because she is my baby and she shouldn't date until then."

"Okay that means no grandkids for 50 years."

"We have Cooper. He can have our grandkids for us."

"Okay then." She says smiling up at him.

...

After the dinner it was time for the speeches. Daniel was up first.

"So I just wanted to say thank you for being here today on our day and sharing it with Steph, Sam, Zoe and I. After my wife died I was shattered. I didn't think I would love again but I had Zoe with me and that is that mattered. Then that one day at work when I saw Steph I swear my heart skipped at beat. It was like love at first sight and she was the person I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with and it is now what we are doing. Living the rest of our lives with one another. Also with Sam and Zoe and the 10 other kids we are going to have. Thank you." He says before sitting down.

Steph then stands up.

"So like Dan said thank you for all coming it has been a wonderful day and we thank you for being here with us. So when my husband Mitch died 4 years ago I was determined to not love again just like Dan but that moment I looked into Dan's eyes I knew that I had fallen for him. So we dated and moved in and got married and I know that in my heart Mitch is looking down on us and smiling and he is happy because I have moved on and I am now happy. He wouldn't want me not to be happy so this I feel is making him happy. So I would like to raise your glasses to new beginnings and to Mitch and Donna. We loved both of you and we know that you are happy that we are happy." She says.

Steph sits down and turns to Meredith.

"Your turn."

"But I haven't prepared anything."

"Just get up there and say something."

Meredith stands and looks out at everyone trying to think of what to say.

"Hi guys I'm Meredith, Steph's maid of honour. Steph and I don't go way back we go back to about 4 years ago. We met in the waiting room at the hospital. I was there because my sister was sick and Steph was there because Mitch had been in a car accident. I went for a walk with my daughter and we sat in the waiting room. I saw Steph crying and went and sat down next to her. We exchanged a few words and then her water broke. So I stayed with her when she found out the news about her husband and when she delivered her baby boy Sam. We got to know each other so much over the past few years. She is like a mum to me a big sister and like a best friend. She has given me advice when things were tough and I have given her advice when things were tough for her. So Steph, I would like to say congratulations and I'm happy you found your happiness."

After the speeches is when the dancing began. Meredith had darted off outside to feed Cooper. The air was warm and the moonlight reflected off the water and lighted the backyard well. After feeding Cooper she sat with him and enjoyed the view. Cooper was awake and blabbered away to himself while Meredith bounced him on her knee. She had sat out there for a good 40 minutes when Daniel walked out and sat down next to her. He gave her a warming smile before looking out at the water.

"What are you doing out here?" She asks.

"Just needed some time to myself."

"I know how it is."

The two of them sat there for a while not saying anything but just enjoying the view. Cooper had fallen back asleep and Meredith had him over her shoulder and rubbed his back while placing a kiss on his head every once in a while.

"It was a lovely wedding." Meredith says.

"Yeah it was a lot different to my last one."

"What was your last wedding like?"

"Well it was in a church filled with hundreds of people. My wife had a very large family and new a lot of people. Her side was packed more than mine. I couldn't compete with all those people. The reception was big. A family tradition. So a lot of alcohol, dancing and the cultural traditions when you marry. It was a lot of fun but I didn't suit it very well I would have preferred something like this or even a city hall wedding."

"I almost had a city hall wedding instead I got a surprise wedding out at Derek's land with close friends and family."

"Did you enjoy your wedding?"

"Yeah I have to admit it was nice. I would never have thought of it and it suited me so well along with Derek."

They then just sat in silence again. It wasn't an awkward silence either. They were too distracted looking at the view that they didn't notice Kim walk out.

"Hey Dan time to cut the cake." She says.

He turns to Meredith and smiles.

"Let's go."

He helps her up and they walk inside where they are cutting the cake. Meredith stands next to Derek with Cooper still over her shoulder asleep. He has his arm around her waist and has pulled her close to him. She felt warm in his embrace and she looked up at him and smiled just before he placed a soft kiss to her lips.

...

That night they had sent Steph and Dan off for their honeymoon. All the kids were asleep upstairs. Derek packed all of the gear back into the car along with Sam and Zoe's gear. He put the two car seats into the car and went back inside to help Meredith carry the kids to the car. Derek carried Kaylee and Sam while Meredith carried Cooper and Zoe. The kids didn't bust an eye when they were put in the car seats and stayed asleep for the trip home and even when they were placed to bed.

Meredith and Derek stood in the doorway of Kaylee's room where Sam and she were sleeping.

"They must have been exhausted." She says.

"You would be to if you were playing husband and wife." He says.

They checked on Zoe who was asleep as well in the cot in the nursery.

They brought everything into the house and unpacked as much as they could before they were tired and hit the sheets. Cooper had woken when they were in bed. Meredith changed his nappy, fed him and put him back into the basinet. She laid back down next to Derek and he wrapped his arms around her.

"That was a nice wedding today wasn't it." She says.

"Yeah it was. Very simple just like ours."

"I will tell you this one thing I know that Dan won't hurt Steph. He is so nice and caring and very easy going."

"Just like Zoe. I told you we would survive with her."

"It was only the first night with her and she was already asleep when we brought her home so that doesn't count."

"Okay whatever." He says with a smirk and a small laugh.

"We will survive with them. It will be like having 4 kids of our own."

"Sure will." He says. "Will you be fine for your tests this week."

"Hopefully. Then I go to the hospital and get to be a medical student for the day." She says.

"I know. I've been there."

"I'm excited. I really want this to happen and become a doctor so I can save lives."

"Hmm yeah. I have a question for you."

"What's that?"

"Would you put the scalpel away for family?"

"Um most likely. Would you?"

"Yeah I think so. Another question. Love or surgery."

"I don't know. I would want both."

"No you have to pick one."

"Fine I would choose love because I love you."

"I love you to." He says kissing her neck. "Go to sleep cause it has been a big day."

Meredith closes her eyes and Derek rests his head just behind hers.

**What'd you think let me know. I will have the next ones up more frequently. I'm on holidays for 2 weeks almost 3 so I will be updating regularly. **

**Next chapter is the day at the lake with the kids.**


	15. Daddy It's Embarrassing

**Here is the next chapter. It's the first day with Sam and Zoe.**

**Enjoy**

2 o'clock that morning they woke to crying. It wasn't Tilly's or Cooper's it was Zoe. Meredith got up and walked into the nursery and took her out of the cot and held her close to her body trying to calm her cries.

She sat down in the rocking chair and rocked backwards and forwards Zoe's cries settled and she stuck her thumb in her mouth and was fast asleep. Meredith laid her down in the cot and went back to the bedroom. She checked Cooper and he was still asleep so she climbed back in bed next to Derek.

"Is she alright?"

"Yeah just needed to be comforted."

...

The next morning Meredith's phone started going off. She looked at the clock and saw what time it was.

"Hello?"

"_Hi Mer it's Steph. How are the kids?"_

"Good. They are all still asleep."

"_And by the sounds of it so are you. It's ten o'clock."_

"I know. We had a big day. Anyway I was. Now I am awake. How's your honeymoon going?"

"_Slow. The plane was delayed because something was wrong with the plane. We should be boarding again in an hour or so."_

"Good."

"_Yeah but there is something I wanted to tell you. Hold on a minute." Steph relocates somewhere private and away from Dan. "Okay for the last week I have been feeling nauseous in the morning usually chucking up yeah in about 20 minutes time. I've been really tired and had really sore boobs."_

"Yeah what about it." Meredith says yawning.

"_You're not paying attention Meredith. I have had morning sickness for the past week, really tired and I have sore boobs also I have been craving peaches and I never eat them."_

Meredith sits up.

"Oh my god Steph. Congratulations. Have you taken a.."

"_Shh I don't want Derek to know just yet."_

Derek rolls over away from Meredith and his snores fill the room.

"Derek is out like a log. He won't hear anything. So have you taken a test?"

"_I have."_

"So positive or negative?"

"_A big plus sign."_

"That's excellent. How far along do you think you are?"

"_Well Dan and I decided a few months back that when my prescription ran out that we would not use contraceptives and let nature takes it course which has happened. I'm thinking about 6-7 weeks."_

"That's great. It really is." She says. She hears Cooper crying. "I've got to go Coopie is up. I'll see you in a next week. Take it easy."

"_I will kiss the kids for me and I will see you soon."_

"Bye Steph."

"_Bye Mer."_

Meredith hangs up and sits the phone on the table and goes and takes Cooper out of his bassinet. She sits back down on bed with Cooper. She sits a pillow down and sits Cooper in front of it sitting him up. She kisses Derek's neck he exhales and he rolls over and kisses her.

"Morning." She says brightly.

"Morning to you to. You are happy."

"I sure am because I get to spend the day with you and the kids and the other kids and because life is great when other lives begin."

"Okay yes it is. Something is up. What is it?"

"Nothing."

"Come on spill."

"Nope I can't."

"Yes you can."

"No I can't."

"Well then I will have to get it out of you."

He starts tickling her and she falls back on her side giggling. He climbs on top of her tickling her and starts kissing her. She squirms under him.

"Derek stop, stop. Coopie is on the bed." She says.

He stops and kisses her one last time before climbing off her and grabbing Cooper and holding him.

"Hey Coopie." He says as he kisses his forehead.

"He needs his nappy changed." Derek says.

"Well you can do that. You barley do it."

"Fine. Come on baby boy." He says getting up and going to the nursery.

Meredith gets up and walks into the nursery as well. She sees Derek changing Cooper's nappy she also notices that Zoe is up.

"Morning Zoe." She says as she takes her out of the cot. "How about we get breakfast ready and we can figure out the day sweetie."

She carried her downstairs. Zoe was still half asleep and held onto her teddy tight as they went down the stairs. She saw that Sam and Kaylee were up and watching TV.

"Morning kids."

"Morning mummy."

"Do you guys want some breakfast?"

"Yes please."

"Okay I'll go and start it."

She sits Zoe on the lounge and goes into the kitchen and starts making breakfast.

After making breakfast she gets the kids all seated.

"So kids what do you want to do today?" Derek asks.

"Can we go swimming daddy, at the lake."

"Sure baby girl that sounds like a good idea. It is going to be hot today so swimming sounds good." Derek says.

"And we can have a picnic as well." Meredith says.

"That sounds like a good idea." He says kissing her turning it passionate.

"Daddy, mummy do you have to do that in front of us." Kaylee says.

They pull away smiling at each other before turning to Kaylee.

"Sorry sweetie but sometimes when I love mummy I have to kiss her even if it is like that."

"Okay I know but next time think because I don't want Sam and Zoe to see and be embarrassed."

"I'm sure they don't mind."

"Sam do you care that mummy and daddy kiss like that?" Kaylee asks Sam.

"Well my mummy and Dan do that so I don't care."

"See he doesn't care sweetie." He says to her cheekily.

Kaylee sticks her tongue out at him before smiling.

...

After breakfast they had successfully gotten the four kids dressed. Derek had the two boys to dress and Meredith had the two girls. The kids were in the lounge room watching TV while Derek and Meredith got everything ready for the picnic.

"I'm just going to check on the kids." She says.

"Okay."

She walks into the lounge room and saw the three older kids on the lounge watching a movie and Cooper was on his tummy on the floor.

"Are you alright kids?" Meredith asks.

"Yes mummy."

"We should be going soon so we will wait until the movie finishes."

"Okay mummy."

She looked down at Cooper and saw as he started to commando crawl towards Meredith. He finally reached Meredith and bent down and picked him up.

"You're getting a big boy aren't you?" She coos to him. "Come on you can help mummy."

She carries him into the kitchen and Derek kisses the top of his head.

"He has perfected the commando crawl."

She places him in the highchair.

"God he is growing up fast. I think we better bring another one into the world." He says with a smirk.

"Derek no more kids for a few years. Come on we've talked about this."

"I know but you're sexy when you're pregnant." He says wrapping his arms around her waist. She moves her arms around his neck. "Plus we will have another kid and because sex during pregnancy is great fun. Plus you are a sexy mumma."

He leans in and kisses her.

"Am I just."

"Yes you're my sexy mumma."

She just smiles and kisses him again.

"If we didn't have 3 toddlers in the other room and a 4 and a half month old here then I would have you naked right now and doing all your favourite things." He tells her.

"Hmm well I will let you have me naked tonight and let you do all my favourite things."

"I want to experiment tonight." He says in a whisper.

"I would love to but having this many kids around is hard and we can save that until our honeymoon." She says in a whisper.

"Oh we sure will."

He kisses her again. A long and lingering kiss when Kaylee walks in.

"Not again."

"Sorry sweetie." Meredith says.

"The movie has finished."

"Okay well give us another half an hour and we should have everything ready."

"Okay mummy."

"We better be careful next time or she is going to ask were babies come from." Meredith says.

"Yeah I know. That could be embarrassing." He says.

"It sure will. Go and get the kids floaties and I will get changed and remember to grab their swimmers."

...

They had the car packed and all the kids strapped in. Derek drove and Meredith sat in the front and he headed towards the lake. The lake was beautiful at this time of year. You could go swimming, fishing and anything else like taking your boat out, canoeing and you could even go walking on the tracks they had around the place. Families always came to the lake in the summer to relax and catch up with friends.

"So I called Cristina and everyone else and asked if they wanted to come and they said that they would." Meredith says. "We also have to pick Charlie up."

"Okay sounds good. It will be a nice day out."

"Sure will." She says smiling at him.

"Hey Sam it's your birthday in 2 week's time. Are you excited?" Derek asks.

"Yes and I get to have a party with cake."

"I know your mummy told us." Meredith says. "It should be great fun."

"Mummy am I going?" Kaylee asks.

"Of course you are. You and Sam are best friends I couldn't let you go."

"It's good that you're gonna be there." Sam says to her holding her hand.

Meredith's heart melts. The two of them are going to be friends forever.

"Hey Sam would you like another brother or sister?" Meredith asks.

"Maybe. I would want a brother cause I already have a sister."

"Well you love them no matter what you get."

"I know but a brother would be nice cause Kaylee has a brother."

"I know she does."

Ten minutes later they are at the lake. They had picked Charlie up as well. Derek parks and they start unloading the car. They put Cooper in the pram and put the clothes bag in as well. Everyone else had just turned up behind them. Mark and Arizona had to work today along with Jasmine and Jackson. Charlie helps Derek and everyone else carry the gear down to the picnic area. It was a nice shady area with a table and a barbeque and was only a few metres from the water.

Meredith and Cristina walked down behind everyone else. After locking the car. Meredith pushed the pram with Cooper in it. Izzie had carried Zoe. Sam and Kaylee held hands as they walked with everyone else.

"Mummy can we get in please?" Kaylee asks.

"Not just yet. Hold on because I have get you changed and put sunscreen on and have your floaties blown up. I'm sure if you ask Uncle George or Alex to do that for you."

"Can you blow the floaties up for us please?" Kaylee asks.

"Sure Kaylee."

"Thank you."

They got the kids changed into their swimmers and put sunscreen on them and plopped their hats on their heads. Derek, Alex and George took Kaylee, Sam and Zoe down to the water. Charlie was in before them and was straight back out because it was too cold. She sat by the edge watching.

Meredith, Izzie, Cristina and Callie got the food ready. Cooper was awake and was sucking the attention from everyone. Meredith originally had him in the pram but he was getting fussy so she took him out and had him on her hip but he would hold his arms out to one of the girls to be held and be entertained before wanting to go to the next person.

"Cooper you are not going to be a mummy's boy. You're going to be a ladies' man. You're going to be another Mark." Meredith says. "I don't like the sounds of that. You're never spending time with Mark when you're older. He is a bad example."

This time he was on Izzie's hip.

"Anyway he had perfected the commando crawl." She tells them proudly.

"He is getting so much bigger." Callie says.

"I know. I don't want him to I want him to stay around this age maybe a little older but all he does is smiles and his smiling makes me happy if I'm in a bad mood."

"Is he laughing yet?" Izzie asks.

"He doesn't laugh. He just smiles but I think in a few weeks also in those few weeks I think we will start crawling."

"But he will be what only 5 months."

"Yeah I know but he is a determined little boy. You saw how he was holding his head up by himself. He already has 1 tooth, the commando crawling is down pact, and he is also becoming more observant. If I leave the room or no one is paying any attention to him he cries."

"Yeah I think he will be a mummy's boy and not a ladies' man." Cristina says.

"That's a relief."

Charlie had walked up to them with a towel wrapped around her.

"Why aren't you swimming?" Meredith asks.

"It was cold. I also wanted to get a drink."

Meredith pours her a drink and Charlie leaves to sit on the bank again.

"I think we have everything done. We just need to get the boys cooking and we can look after the kids." Meredith says.

Cooper starts squirming in Callie's arms. He had been in everyone's arms he was ready to go back to Meredith. She took him and placed him on her hip and she walked down to the water's edge.

"Mummy look." Kaylee says.

Meredith looks at Kaylee. Derek is holding her and guiding her through the water. Getting her to practice her swimming.

"You're doing great sweetie."

Zoe wasn't in her floaty but was on the water's edge and was just playing with the sand. Sam was in his floaty and chasing after Kaylee.

"You guys can start the meat on the barbie." She tells them.

"Okay. We'll be out soon."

Meredith turns around and walks back up. She lays Cooper down on the picnic rug and grabs his swimmers. He has his legs in the air as she tries changing him blabbering away to himself. Meredith just says oh really. Wow.

"Mer if you keep saying that to him then he won't speak at all." Cristina says.

"He will speak Cristina. He will be an awesome speaker. Won't you Coopie."

He just smiles in reply.

"See."

"Whatever." She says as she walks down to the water.

Meredith had him changed and passed him to Izzie as she got into her swimmers. The girls took the guys spot and watched the kids. Kaylee was back in her floaties and was chasing Sam. Zoe was in the same place as before. Izzie was holding Cooper.

"God Charlie was right it is cold." Cristina says. "Charlie come in. It's quite nice." Cristina says to her.

"No I'm fine here."

"Suit yourself."

"Mummy can you do swimming with me please?"

"Okay."

She takes her out of the floaty and gets her practicing her swimming.

"Now kick your legs and blow bubbles."

Kaylee does exactly that and Meredith picks her up.

"Good work. No I'm going to hold onto your arms and pull you along and you kick your legs and blow bubbles."

She tugs Kaylee along.

"Good work sweetie."

"Can I go into my floaty now and you can teach Sam."

"Okay. In you go." She says placing her in. "Your turn mister Sam."

Meredith does exactly the same thing and places him back and he plays with Kaylee.

"She's getting so much better." Meredith says.

"Here do exactly the same to your little boy." Izzie says.

"You can't do much with him. He is only 4 and a half months."

"The better the younger. Less likely he will drown. You don't want that especially when you are at the land and by the river."

"True. Cooper let's get you practicing so you can become a great swimmer."

Meredith goes to put him in the water put that is stopped when screaming for help is yelled. They all just stop and get out of the water. The family next to them are in panic.

"Kaylee, Sam I need you to get out of the water." Meredith says.

They follow them out and Meredith sees a little boy being pulled from the water. He is blue and lifeless.

Callie and Derek run over to offer assistance. They start CPR on the little boy. Everyone else just stands back in horror hoping the little boy will start breathing again. Izzie has Zoe and Kaylee and Sam are standing with Charlie.

One lady is in shock and is crying and screaming at them. People are trying to calm her down.

"No I won't. He is my son. You need to help him."

She leans down next to him and holds his foot.

"Nate its mummy. Please please don't die."

There is no movement but they continue CPR on him.

Callie looks at Derek as to say it's not looking good.

They had gathered more of a crowd. Cristina shooed them all away so they could have some privacy.

Meredith is just shocked. The boy looked the same age as Kaylee and Sam. She turns to Charlie and sees her entertaining Kaylee and Sam.

"Meredith are you alright?" Alex asks.

"Um I guess. It's just hard seeing this happen."

Sirens are heard in the background and the ambulance comes through. The ambos get out as fasted as they could and came down to the edge to assist them.

"How long have you been resuscitating?" The ambo asks.

"About 10 minutes." Derek replies.

"How long has he been down for?"

"We don't know."

The ambos take over the compressions and lift him up onto the gurney.

"How long has he been down for?" Callie asks.

"I don't know. The kids were all playing and they left the water and he didn't come up with them. That's when we found him face down in the water."

"Approximately how long?" Derek asks her.

"15 to 20 minutes maybe."

The boy is loaded into the ambulance and the mum gets in.

"Which one of you's are coming?"

"I'll go." Callie says. "Stay here. I'll keep you updated."

"Okay."

The ambulance leaves and Derek just stands there watching it go.

**What'd you think? Let me know. The next chapter is just a follow on from the last. I will try and update on Friday after I get back from the orthodontist with me braces. So look out for it.**


	16. It's Been A Rough Few Years

**Here's the next chapter. Follows straight on from the other.**

After the ambulance left they all decided that that shouldn't spoil their day out. They had their lunch and had another swim before they packed up and left. Derek was quiet throughout the whole time.

They changed the kids and packed up and headed home. Zoe and Cooper had fallen asleep on the trip home. Sam and Kaylee were awake and buzzing with energy and talking their heads off. Derek drove silently. Meredith glanced at him every once in a while. His face was blank. She knew he was thinking about the little boy.

They arrived home and he helped Sam and Kaylee out. Meredith took the capsule out with Cooper asleep in there. She carried him inside into the nursery and went back out and took Zoe out and carried her inside and laid her in the cot. Derek carried all the gear inside.

Meredith met him in the kitchen. She grabbed his hand to stop him. He was avoiding any interacting.

"Derek you okay?" Meredith asks.

"Yeah."

"You sure?"

"Yes I am. I just need some time to myself. Will you be fine with the kids for a while?"

"Yeah." She says as he walks into the study. "I always am fine with the kids."

She sighs and turns into the kitchen. She starts unpacking everything and starts the washing up. She leans in front of the sink and closes her eyes. She stays like that for a few minutes until she feels a tap on her leg. She looks down and sees Sam standing there.

"Hey Sam what's wrong?"

"I need to go potty."

"Okay come on." She says taking his hands and leading him upstairs to the toilet.

After getting Sam to go to the toilet she got him to wash his hands and took him downstairs to play with Kaylee.

Derek sat in the study doing nothing. He just stared ahead waiting for a call from Callie.

Meredith had unpacked everything and sat and watched the kids playing in the backyard. She had the baby monitor next to her and was nursing her study notes for her exams for the next week.

"Mummy can we have a paddle pop please?"

"Sure sweetie."

She gets up and goes and gets the kids an ice cream and they sat on the back steps eating them.

She finished her studying and sat there. She was getting annoyed with the silence from Derek and she needed a conversation with someone older than five. So she messaged Cristina.

"God this silence is killing me. He won't speak to me. This thing is killing him. I'm hoping that he survives." Meredith types she sends it to Cristina and waits.

Over the baby monitor she hears crying. She gets up and goes into the nursery. Zoe is awake and so is Cooper. She takes Cooper out of the capsule and puts him on her hip and then takes Zoe out. She takes both of the kids downstairs. Meredith gets Zoe an ice cream and she sits on the step eating. Meredith sits with Cooper on her lap.

She reads the message from Cristina.

"_Give him some time. It is hard for him. I hope to that the boy survives but you saw him. He was as blue as anything, it's pretty slim. So just give him time."_

She just sighed and put her phone down.

"Mer I'm finished." Zoe says.

"Okay sweetie. Go and play if you want."

Zoe hands over the half eaten ice cream and goes and plays with the Kaylee and Sam. Meredith finishes the ice cream. Cooper eyes the ice cream.

"You can't have any I haven't started you on solids yet." She tells him. "I might start you on them tonight and your daddy can feed you."

Derek still hadn't moved. He was now staring at his phone waiting for a call. He wished that Callie would call soon so he would know what happened.

"Mummy why isn't daddy out playing with us?" Kaylee asks.

"Daddy is busy with work stuff."

"But can't he come out and play for a few minutes."

"Maybe. I'll go and ask him."

She gets up and goes into the study with Cooper on her hip. She just walks in and Derek doesn't move. She stands next to him and sits on the table. He still doesn't move.

"Derek." She says.

"Yeah." He says as he looks at her.

"Kaylee wants you to play with her. She doesn't get to do this much and she wants some time with her daddy."

"I just need some time to myself."

"Derek I know you do but to pass the time play with Kaylee and Sam."

"Okay fine."

He gets up and kisses Meredith's cheek. They leave the room together.

"I was thinking of starting Coopie on solids tonight." She tells him.

"Okay."

"You can feed him cause I fed Kaylee when we started her."

"Sure."

He moved outside and she sat down on the chair she was on earlier. Cooper was getting restless just sitting there. So she got up and carried him down the back where the swing was. He loved this swing and they used it with Kaylee when she was only a baby. She sat him down and pulled the safety down and started pushing him. He had a smile on his face each time he was pushed. Meredith would make silly noises at him as well. Zoe had wandered down as well. She was really quiet and would usually do things by herself.

"Hey Zoe. What you doing sweetie?"

"I swing?"

"Sure. Coopie is getting sick of it."

She stops Cooper and takes him out she passes him off to Derek and comes back and puts Zoe in the swing.

"You ready 1,2,3 go." She lets go and Zoe starts swinging.

Zoe is giggling each time.

Derek was running around with Sam and Kaylee. He had Cooper with him. He was trying not to think of the little boy but playing with Sam made him think of him. His phone ringing stopped him playing with the kids. He checked it.

"Kaylee I have to take this."

He walks up into the house and inside.

"Callie hi. How is he?"

"_We did everything we could. We tried everything as well but he had been down too long."_

"Dammit. Dammit."

"_Derek are you okay?"_

"I'm fine. I'll see you tomorrow." And he hangs up.

He starts hyperventilating.

Meredith heard Derek's phone ring so she stopped the swing and took Zoe out and followed him up to the house. She stood in the hallway waiting for him to end the call. She heard him start hyperventilating so she walked in. Took Cooper and put him on the floor and grabbed onto his hand.

"Derek breath." She said.

He didn't stop so she grabbed a paper bag and handed it to him. Within a few minutes he had returned to normal breathing.

"He died." He tells her.

"Dam."

"They done everything they could and he had been down too long to save."

"I know it happens."

"I know."

"So why are you so worked up about this?"

"Because they should have kept a better eye on him." He snaps.

"Hey don't snap at me."

"Well you asked a stupid question."

"I did not. I know it is hard for patients not to touch you but some do. It has to be some close experience that made this happen."

"Since when have you been a shrink? You're a bloody doctor not a shrink. So start acting like one."

"Derek I'm not acting like a shrink. It just seems that it has you worked up a lot and that is usually from a personal experience." She yells back at him.

"I'm out of here." He says. He didn't want to face this subject. He needed to get out of here. He grabbed his keys and left.

"Walk away because that is all you know how to do."

He shut the door with a loud bang.

She closed her eyes again and inhaled. She turned back around and saw Kaylee standing there. She looked upset. Meredith moved towards her.

"Kaylee."

Kaylee just turned and ran away. She had seen the whole argument. Well the kind of fight. Meredith hated fighting in front of her and it was something that they tried to avoid but she always seemed to sneak up and hide when they fought.

Meredith felt something at her feet and looked to see Cooper sitting there. She bent down and picked him up.

"You don't hate mummy do you." She said to him. "Of course you don't because you are my little booby monster. They only thing you love is feeds don't you." She coos to him as she tickles his stomach. "Talking about feeds I better feed you."

She carried him back outside and sat down watching the kids.

Once Derek left he just went and sat in his car. He didn't drive anywhere mainly because most of the shops were closed and he didn't have a friend's house to go to because they were all working so he thought that the car was the best place to get his mind off everything.

...

Meredith had finished cooking dinner and had all the kids seated for dinner. Kaylee still hadn't spoken a word to her and if she needed to ask her something she would get Sam to ask it for her. The kids were eating dinner and Meredith sat there silently. Derek still hadn't come home. Kaylee leant over to Sam and whispered something in his ear.

"Kaylee wants to know why her daddy isn't here."

"He had to go into work." She replies. She didn't want to have to explain this to her. It was something that a four year old shouldn't have to put up with.

Dinner was over and Meredith started cleaning up. She had the kids watching a movie while she did that. She scrapped the dishes into the bin. She was getting madder and ended up throwing the dish into the sink breaking it. She started crying. The toll from the fight started right now. She didn't hear the door open and hear the footsteps into the kitchen.

"Meredith." She hears from behind her.

She turns wiping the tears from her eyes and sees Carolyn standing there placing her keys on the table.

"Hi Ma what are you doing here?"

"Well I got a call from Mark about a little boy who drowned and Derek took it hard. Then he showed up on my doorstep pissed so I thought that I would come over here and talk to him but there seems to be something else that has happened."

"It is stupid."

"Tell me." She says grabbing her hands and sitting her down in a chair.

"A little boy drowned when we were at the lake today and Derek and Callie resuscitated him. He looked real bad though. He had been under for 15 minutes before he was pulled from the water. Callie took him to the hospital and Derek came home with me and the kids. He left me by myself to look after the kids while he sat in the study waiting for a call. He finally did get a call when he was out playing with the kids. I followed him inside and he was having trouble breathing so I helped him and we got into this stupid fight over the stupidest thing and I said some things and he said some things then he stormed out and I haven't heard or seen of him for a few hours."

"Fights always start from stupid things my dear. What did you say to him?"

"I asked why had this gotten him so worked up and he accused me of being a shrink and I defended saying I wasn't and that it has to do with some personal trauma everyone knows that and he left because he didn't want to face the subject."

"Meredith go over to my place. I'll watch the kids and you two work it out."

"You sure?"

"Of course. I'll get them bathed and ready for bed."

"Okay. I will hopefully be back soon."

Meredith got up and started to leave the kitchen.

"Meredith."

"Yeah."

"It is true. Things that touch doctors this much has something to do with a personal experience."

Meredith thought about the words and grabbed the keys and left.

She drove to Carolyn's and pulled up into the driveway. She walked inside and saw Amelia.

"Amelia where is Derek?"

"Outside."

She walked out the back doors and saw him sitting on the back step drinking.

"The reason you left is because someone drowned in your family. Is that true." Meredith says.

Derek turns around and looks at her. Meredith takes a seat next to him.

"Is it?"

"Yeah."

"Tell me about it."

"When I was about 11 or 12 we all went down to the lake. Just us 5 kids and Mark. Amelia was only about 4. There is this pier and you go and jump off it and stuff. We all knew how to swim and we always went down there. This one day was different. We were running around and jumping off. Mark had met these girls and was flirting with them. I was with him and we weren't watching Amelia like we promised. Nancy and Kathleen were bickering away with one another and Alice and Amelia were playing on the rocks. Alice was in front and they were jumping the rocks into the water. Amelia had slipped and fell into the water and Alice didn't notice. She had turned around and started screaming her name trying to find her. We ran over and helped her look for her. I ended up pulling her from the water 5 minutes later. She was blue but not as blue as the boy today. We got her breathing again. For those 5 minutes that we were getting her to breath was scary. She finally woke up and was confused at what had happened. We also realised that she cut her forehead on the rocks. You know she was my baby sister and I almost lost her because we weren't watching her. I kinda know how the mum of the boy today was feeling just like my mum was feeling."

"Why didn't you tell me that? It would have saved this whole argument."

"I was upset because it brought back really bad memories and because I was mad at you because you were saying all these things."

"You shouldn't have been mad at me."

"I know I shouldn't have but I was in a mood and I have to blame everything on someone." He tells her as he wraps his arm around her shoulder and pulls her closer to him.

"I know you always have these moods."

"And I'm sorry." He says kissing her.

"You were silent since we got back you could have said that."

"I know I'm sorry for the silence. I needed time."

"I know. I'm sorry for the stupid fight."

"Me too and for everything else that has happened that has pissed you off." He says kissing her again longer this time.

They pull away and look at each other.

"Kaylee saw us fighting." Meredith tells him.

"Did she how is she?"

"Silent. I think she takes after you with the silence. She hasn't said a word to me since you left."

"Who's looking after the kids?"

"Your mum. She came and asked me what was wrong."

"That would be my mother."

"No she is good."

"I know. I want to go home. It's been a long day and I have some making up to do to you and to Kaylee."

"That sounds like a very good plan."

...

They had arrived home and Carolyn left them. Zoe was on the lounge drinking her bottle about to fall asleep. Kaylee and Sam were sitting there as well and Cooper was playing in his swing.

"Okay kids time for bed." Derek says.

Meredith picked up Zoe and carried her upstairs to the bed. Sam and Kaylee followed Derek upstairs into the bedroom. Kaylee climbed into her bed and Sam climbed into his. Derek tucked Sam in first and he was soon asleep. He then went to Kaylee's bed and she had her eyes closed. Derek knew she was faking it so he climbed into bed next to her and pretended to snore. He heard giggles and stopped snoring and looked at Kaylee.

"Hey sweetie. Why didn't you talk to mummy?"

"Because she yelled at you."

"Yeah and I yelled at her."

"But you left."

"I know because I needed some time to myself to think. It has been a big day."

"Did it have something to do with the boy at the lake today?"

"Yeah it did."

"Did the boy die daddy?"

"Yeah he did. That's why I want you to know how to swim so the same doesn't happen to you."

"My swimming is getting good. Did you see me today?"

"Yes I did."

"Can I talk to mummy?"

"Of course. Let me get her."

He leaves the room and finds Meredith leaving the nursery.

"Kaylee wants to talk to you."

Meredith walks inside and sits down beside her.

"I'm sorry sweetie about this afternoon. I was angry at daddy."

"I know."

"You know that sometimes mummies and daddies need to yell at each other because it gets things off our chest that we have kept bottled up but you shouldn't see us fighting Kaylee and we shouldn't fight in front of you. It's been rough since you were born and the past year has been rough as well especially with daddy starting work."

"And Coopie."

"Yes and Coopie. So we yell at one another because it is hard for us because daddy works long shifts and I have school and you two kids to look after it is hard. Kaylee you need to know that it will be the same with me next year. I'm going to have long shifts and it will be hard to be home but daddy will look after you and you will be older and understand more."

"Okay mummy. I'm sorry for not talking to you."

"I'm sorry for yelling at daddy. Now it's time for bed. You have to get up early tomorrow."

"Okay night mummy."

"Night baby girl." She says tucking her in and kissing her forehead.

She walks out of the room and closes the door just before taking one quick glance at her. Derek wraps his arms around her and starts kissing her.

"Ready for the making up."

"Derek Cooper is still awake."

"Oh I forgot about him."

They walk downstairs together.

"How was his spoon feed?"

"I didn't try it. I was too annoyed with our fight."

"Okay we will try again tomorrow."

"Of course we will." She tells him as she takes Cooper out of the swing. He was getting grizzly just being in there.

She started feeding him and he was out like a light. She carried him upstairs and put him in the bassinet. Derek had cleaned everything downstairs up and turned the lights off before coming upstairs. He lit a few candles in the room and Meredith walked in and saw the candles.

"You didn't have to do this."

"Yes I did. Whenever I fight with my wife I always have to make it up to her somehow."

Meredith moves towards him and starts kissing him.

...

They lay in each other's arms. The candles were the only lights lighting the room.

"God it has been so long since we have had sex." He says.

"It was only on Friday night."

"I know but I seems like forever."

"I know." She says. "I think we need to not fight in front of the kids. If we do then that will send a bad message across to them and I grew up in a household of fighting for the first 5 years of my life. If we do fight then at least behind closed doors so they don't see."

"I totally agree but Kaylee is sneaky. We didn't even hear her."

"I know but maybe because we were yelling at each other."

"Maybe."

"Also I think we should start swimming lessons for them because I don't want the same thing to happen as today." She tells him.

"I totally agree." He says kissing her. "God I love make up sex."

"Do you wanna go again?" She asks.

"You don't need an answer for that." He says as he climbs on top of her.

**What'd you think? Let me know. Please read and review. **

**Next chapter is a week-long chapter involving events from those days with the kids and Sam and Zoe.**


	17. Brains Are My Thing

**So here is the next chapter. I apologise again for the lateness of the post.**

**Enjoy….**

_Monday_

Meredith woke the next morning. Cooper was crying. She looked at the alarm clock and saw that it was 6.30. Derek had left for work an hour ago. She stumbled out of bed and took Cooper from the bassinet.

"Morning Coopie." She yawns before lying back down in bed and feeding him.

She laid on her side as she fed him. Trying to get a few more minutes in before the day started.

After feeding Cooper she sat him down next to her and gave him a toy to play with while she quickly revised her study notes for today's test. She was confident enough to leave her notes. It was now 7.15 and the kids would be waking up very soon.

"Come on Coopie let's get you downstairs and playing before your sister and everyone else is up."

She picks him up and holds him out in front of her. He just smiles at her. She kisses his cheek and starts kissing him and blowing raspberries on the side of his neck. He smiles even more and lets out a small giggle. Meredith smiles even more and puts him on her hip and bounces down the stairs in enjoyment as she puts him in the bouncy chair and taking him into the kitchen and taking everything out for breakfast. She made a bowl of cereal for herself and ate it while reading the paper and bouncing the bouncer with her foot.

As she washed up her bowl she heard Zoe over the baby monitor. She went up the stairs and into the nursery and took Zoe out of the cot.

"Morning Zoe. Want some breakfast?" She asked.

Zoe nodded her head. Meredith kissed her forehead and took her downstairs. Sitting her in the high chair. She made her some toast and handed her the plate. Kaylee and Sam soon followed downstairs and breakfast was eaten. She dressed all the kids and got herself dressed before packing bags for Kaylee and Cooper at the crèche and for Sam and Zoe at their day-care. Meredith packed her bag for school and got the kids and they were on their way.

She dropped Sam and Zoe off first since the day-care was a few streets away. Then she headed to the hospital dropping Kaylee and Cooper off at the crèche. She was hoping to see Derek but she didn't so she left as quickly to school for her exams.

That afternoon after her exams she went grocery shopping. Then picked up the kids and went home. She unpacked the groceries while the kids watched TV. She heard the door open and felt arms wrap around her waist.

"Hey your home early."

"Were you expecting someone else?" He asks.

"Nope just you. My husband." She says turning to face him and kissing him. "How was work?"

"Alright. How were your exams?"

"Alright, glad two are over. Three to go."

"You'll do fine."

"Hey so you know how yesterday we were going to start feeding Cooper solids. Well since your home now I thought that we could do that." She says.

"Sure. Where is my baby boy?"

"Um in the lounge room."

"Okay I will go and get him and we can start. Can you get his food?"

"Of course."

Derek got Cooper and Meredith grabbed the baby food. He sat him in the high chair and put a bib around him. Derek started feeding him. Cooper was getting used to the motion of the spoon being placed in his mouth with food on it. His feeding was a success and he wanted more.

"No buddy you can't have anymore." Derek says. "Not until tomorrow."

...

_Tuesday_

That morning was the same routine but Derek started later. He took Kaylee and Cooper to the crèche and Meredith dropped Sam and Zoe off at their day-care. She pulled up at school and headed inside.

"Please put all study materials away and you may begin." The examiner said.

After an hour and a half she finished that exam and had a break before going to her next exam.

At work Derek was assigned to work on a huge patient. The patient had had major surgery and was a rare case. Derek was on her case.

He was standing at the nurses' station filling out charts when his attending came up.

"Shepherd." Dr Roach says.

"Yes sir."

"You are on call tonight. I need you to keep an eye on Mrs Green. The night will be the most critical part so please keep a careful eye on her."

"Okay sure sir. I've just got to let my wife know."

"Sure Shepherd." He says before walking away. "I have a question Shep. It's not work related. May I ask you?"

"Yes Sir."

"I'm sure you have heard that my wife is having a baby in about a week, our first baby. I know you're a father and have been for a few years. How has that experience been? I mean you were young. Have you enjoyed being a dad?"

"Of course. Kaylee and Cooper are my life. I couldn't imagine my life without them. I know I was young when Kaylee was born but she is closer to my age and I have more patience with her. We've had tough times but we get through them."

"You're a super dad."

"No my wife is. She's a super mum. She looks after them all day when I'm at work and she still manages to do everything else while she is attending med school. It's her last year this year. If you have any compliments say them to Meredith because she is superwoman. She does everything cooks, cleans, a mother, a wife, a student, a daughter a friend. She is everything and keeps everyone sane. I don't know where I would be without her. At this very moment we are looking after 2 other kids for a friend. Meredith is amazing."

"She sounds like an awesome woman."

"She is."

"Do you want more kids at all?"

"We do but not for a couple more years. The other one was only born 4 and a half months ago."

"Okay well I'll see you around." Dr Roach says before turning to leave.

"Sir just wait until your baby grabs your finger for the first time. Or smiles or even when you first spoon feed them. It's an experience that you'll never forget." Derek says after him.

...

_Wednesday_

That morning Meredith woke. Without Derek next to her but with three kids.

There had been a storm last night and the kids wouldn't settle. Zoe was having a bad night along with the storm. She was getting homesick and was missing her parents. She was in bed with Meredith earlier before the storm. Meredith finally got her asleep and the storm started. Zoe was fine in bed with Meredith but Kaylee and Sam weren't. Cooper wasn't either. Meredith tried to leave him so he would go back asleep but he cried and whimpered for 40 minutes none stop. So she gave in and went and got him. So there were 3 kids in bed next to her.

Meredith looked in front of her at the three older kids holding each other. Cooper was in the bassinet right next to the bed. Just looking at the kids holding each other made her heartache. She had to get a picture of this to give to Steph and Derek. She took Cooper out of the bassinet and laid him down in front of Kaylee. Meredith got a quick picture just before they all woke up.

The morning was busier. Zoe had come down with a cold and was feverish. A reason why she didn't settle last night. She didn't want to leave her at the day-care and get the other kids sick. So she rang Carolyn and asked if she could mind Zoe and the other 3.

The day was off. The kids were at Carolyn's and she was at school with her last exam.

Derek came home early that afternoon. Reading a note on the table.

_Kids are all at your mum's. I'm going to be out until at least 5._

_Love Meredith_

He drove to Carolyn's and picked the kids up and came home.

...

_Thursday_

The next morning Derek woke after Meredith. He had a few hours before work. Meredith had been up all night with Zoe. Derek was also up helping her with Kaylee and Sam. They had all came down with the cold that Zoe had. Zoe was unsettled all night due to the cold. She also had a high temperature. They gave her medicine and she was down before sunrise. Kaylee and Sam were a lot better but where getting feverish.

He got up out of bed and found Meredith asleep in the rocking chair in the nursery. She told him to go to bed because she could handle it. He didn't decline the sleep so he slept.

Derek knelt down beside her. Placing a hand on her knee. He watched her sleeping peacefully. He kissed her nose.

"Meredith, come on your going to bed."

She didn't answer. Derek picked her up in his arms and carried her out to the bedroom. Laying her down on the bed and pulling the blankets up around her body. She snuggled into the warmth and comfort. Derek climbed into bed behind her and they laid for a couple of hours.

Later Derek had left for work and Meredith was feeding the kids breakfast.

"Do you kids feel better?" She asked.

They all nodded their heads. They looked better as well. She had checked their foreheads and they weren't burning up.

"How about we go to the park at the lake?" She said.

They all nodded with huge smiles.

They played at the park for hours. She brought them home and got them fed and bathed and ready for bed.

Derek came home just as she got all the kids to bed apart from Cooper. He had a shower while she fed him and put him to sleep.

After they showered they sat in bed next to each other.

"How was work?"

"Great. A patient came after a car accident and had to have a craniotomy and I got to scrub in. I think brains are my thing." He says.

Meredith just giggles as he wraps his arms around her and they lay down ready for sleep.

"Brains are your thing?"

"Yeah they are. You jealous?"

"Nope. I'm never jealous of my husband when he has a thing." She says giggling.

"That just sounded completely dirty in my head." He said.

"Of course it would." She says with another giggle.

...

_Friday_

Friday then come. Derek has the morning off. He surprises Meredith with breakfast in bed and then a quick round of shower sex before the kids woke up. After their shower they laid in bed. Full and exhausted.

"God it's a challenge trying to be quick and quiet and also after a huge breakfast." Meredith says.

"I know but it was good wasn't it?"

"Of course my dear." She says patting his cheek.

They see a figure standing in the doorway. Then another. Kaylee is standing with Sam.

"Come here." Derek says.

They quickly run over and jump into bed with them. Sitting in between Meredith and Derek. Kaylee sat beside her daddy and Sam sat beside Meredith. Kaylee had cuddled into Derek's side and Sam was close to Meredith. She laid down with an arm around him and held him close. He was like another kid for her. He happily sat there watching the TV. Zoe and Cooper soon joined and the bed was full. Derek and Meredith were at either edge about to fall off. So she picked Cooper up and sat him on her lap. They thought their bed was big enough but in this case it wasn't.

"Mer I think if we want other kids we are gonna need a bigger bed."

"I know." She says with a laugh. "When are you going into work?"

"Not until after lunch."

"Okay good."

They spent the morning in bed watching TV. Derek soon went off to work. Meredith and the kids had ventured downstairs. The weather outside was wet. The perfect weather to stay inside. Sam and Zoe were also leaving today. Steph's parents were coming to take them for the rest of the weekend.

Meredith packed all their gear up and sat it by the front door ready to go when they showed up.

She was feeding Cooper his baby food in the kitchen when the doorbell rang.

"Hold on Coopie." She says getting up and moving towards the door. She left the baby jar on the high chair in front of a curious baby.

She opened the door to Eileen and Frank.

"Hey, how are you?" Eileen asks.

"Good."

"Did we catch you at a bad time?"

"No, I was just feeding Cooper. Come on in. The kids are in the lounge room if you want to see them."

They followed her inside. Frank went into the lounge room and Eileen followed Meredith.

When Meredith walked in she saw Cooper had covered himself in baby food and painted the high chair and the floor with it.

"Coopie what have you done." Meredith said before moving towards him.

Eileen just laughs.

"Here I'll get him a cloth to clean him up." Eileen said.

Meredith quickly got a picture of him to show to Derek before she unbuckled him from the chair and picked him up.

"I'm guessing I'm going to have to bath you."

Meredith undressed him from his food covered clothes. He was just in his nappy. Eileen cleaned him down as best as she could. Meredith ran water in the kitchen sink squirting baby wash in there. She bathed him.

"Coopie I think you wanted to have a bath." She said to her smiling baby.

"I'll go upstairs and get him some clothes."

"Thank you."

She finishes bathing him and he was cleaner than before. Eileen had come back with his towel, nappy and clothes. Meredith wrapped him in the towel and laid him down on the bench to dress him.

After getting him dressed he soon fell asleep.

Eileen and Frank got the kids ready.

"Bye Sam. I'll see you later matey." Meredith said kissing his cheek.

She kissed Zoe goodbye and they were gone.

Meredith and Kaylee looked at each other.

"What are we going to do now?" She said to her.

Kaylee shrugged her shoulders and ran towards Meredith. She picked her up in her arms and they went off looking for something to do.

...

_Saturday_

Derek walked through the doors at 8 that morning. The house was quiet. So he crept up the stairs and down the hall to his bedroom. Kaylee and Meredith were sitting in bed next to each other talking and playing with each other.

"Morning my 2 favourite girls." He said.

Kaylee turned her head and smiled.

"Daddy."

He kicked his shoes off and climbed into bed tackling Kaylee and started tickling her. Kaylee's laughter filled the rooms. He then stopped and whispered into Kaylee's ear. They soon had Meredith pinned on the bed and they tickled her. Meredith was giggling as well. They stopped tickling Mer when Cooper started crying.

"I'll get him." Derek says.

When Derek brought him back into the room they sat together.

"What time did the kids go home?"

"Yesterday about an hour after you left."

"Then what did you and Kaylee do?"

"Well after I bathed Cooper from his lunch. I have a picture to show you but after that we just played and read. The weather wasn't too nice to do anything."

"Yeah I know. Well the weather is nice now. How about we go for a walk to the cafe and get some breakfast."

"Sounds perfect."

They got the kids dressed and put them in the double stroller and left.

That night they arrived at the restaurant for dinner with the Shepherd's. It was a dinner to celebrate Alice finishing year 12 and also a dinner filled with more surprises.

After dinner was served Nancy got everyone's attention.

"Guys we have some news we are having another baby." She said.

Everyone congratulated her and started asking questions.

"How far along are you?" Kathleen asked.

"14 weeks."

"Then how did you manage to keep it a secret for so long?" Meredith asks.

"Well because I haven't seen you guys since I found out. That was 7 weeks ago."

"We did see you. Meredith and Kaylee's birthday." Derek says.

"Yeah well I was waiting."

"It isn't twins is it?" Alice asks.

"No its not."

The dinner finished and they took the kids home. Once they were put to bed Meredith and Derek sat in bed.

"God another niece or nephew." Meredith says.

"Yeah I'm hoping for a nephew, we've only got 2 and we have 4 nieces. We've got to even the score up a bit."

"Yeah whatever you say Derek." She says closing her eyes while smiling.

"Night Mer."

"Night Derek."

_Sunday._

It was soon the end of the week. Derek had the day off and he was looking after the kids and Meredith was going out for a girl's day out. She was going out with Cristina and Izzie to be pampered and a day of shopping. Derek had his arm around her and had her pulled close to his body. Their alarm sounded and they both opened their eyes. Derek slammed it shut and kissed her neck.

"Morning." He mumbled.

"Morning to you to." She said. She turned around and faced him kissing him.

"Ready for your day out?" He asks.

"Sure am. Ready for your day with the kids."

"Of course. What could go wrong?"

"Well first of all you invited Mark over so a lot could go wrong."

"Excuse me his not that bad with kids." He says. Meredith gives her are you serious face. "Yeah your right his hopeless."

"Thank you." She looks over her shoulder. "And I'm going to get ready. If Coopie wakes can you feed him please?"

"Give me your boobs and I will."

"Derek I mean give him some porridge or something. If I'm out before he wakes then I will feed him."

"Okay I will do that."

"Thank you." She says kissing him again before getting up and going to the shower.

She comes out 20 minutes later. Both kids are still asleep and Derek is still in the same place as before. She walked over and climbed behind him. Kissing his neck. He woke up and grabbed her and pulled her down next to him.

"That was a quick shower."

"I was in there for 20 minutes. I'm not even dressed yet."

"So your naked under there." He asks.

"No Derek I'm not." She says sarcastically. "What do you think?"

"Hey I'm just trying to get in the mood."

"Yeah well you better get out of it cause the kids will be awake very soon."

"Oh come on a quickie. That's all I'm asking for."

She thinks for a minute and gets up.

"Nope not until later."

"Fine."

Meredith fed Cooper and then gave him to Derek to mind. Kaylee was eating her breakfast.

"So in a few hours he will be hungry again. Just give him some baby food. There is also some bottled milk in there."

"Meredith he is my son. I do know what to do with him."

"Yes I know. Okay I'm off. I will be back tonight." She says kissing him goodbye.

She leaves the house and heads over to the beauty parlour.

They all spend four hours. Having manicures, pedicures, waxing, mud baths, messages and everything else there.

They were leaving the beauty parlour and headed to the shopping centre.

"God that was the best 500 dollars I have ever spent." Cristina says.

"I know. I haven't relaxed like that in a while. I'm too busy with the kids." Meredith says.

"Yeah well since you are so relaxed and have been waxed and stuff we are taking you lingerie shopping to show off your new pampered body." Izzie says.

"Oh come on you know how much I hate buying that stuff. I only have it on for 2 seconds before it is on the floor."

"Yeah well you need a treat and so does Derek. If not save it for your honeymoon and all your nakedness there."

"Yeah but I won't be pampered like this."

"Well then we will book you in another appointment and get you pampered again."

"You guys are the best." Meredith says.

After shopping the girls had a late lunch and an early dinner before heading off home. Meredith had spent a lot of money today. Which Cristina and Izzie insisted she spent. A lot was just for the honeymoon in 6 months.

She walked through the front door and quickly went upstairs and hid the bags in the spare bedroom closet before walking back and greeting Derek and Mark who were trying to feed Cooper.

"Hey guys how's it going." She asks.

"When did you get home?"

"About 5 minutes ago." She says. "How you doing Mark." She asks watching him trying to feed Cooper.

"Alright."

She just laughs and walks off.

Later that night they lay in bed. Naked in each other's arms.

"So how was girl's day out?"

"Good. They said that before the honeymoon I need to be pampered again."

"I think they are right. You seem so much more relaxed and not tense."

"Well I am relaxed. It was a good day, very relaxing day."

"Well that's good. I know you love spending my money."

"Of course I do." She says kissing him again.

"So what did you buy?" He asks.

Her snores fill the room. She was exhausted. He kissed her temple and turned the light off pulling the blanket around her body.

"Night Mer."

**What'd you think. Let me know. I will try and have the next chapter up in a couple of days.**

**Next chapter is just a filler. **


	18. Oh Yes I Remember

**Here's the next chapter. I kind of suck at updating**

**Enjoy**

That morning and Meredith and Derek woke to the alarm. They were still naked in each other's arms. She turns and faces Derek kissing him and getting out of bed and wrapping the dressing gown around her body before making her way into the shower.

She emerged 15 minutes later dressed. She moved the bassinet into the room. Derek was still asleep on the bed. She walked over and kissed the back of his neck just like the previous morning.

"Derek wake up. You have work." She whispered in his ear.

He stirred and moaned and finally got up rubbing his eyes. She stood next to the bassinet looking at Cooper.

He looked at Meredith with his tired eyes complaining about lack of sleep.

"Hey don't complain we only did it once and that was quite early."

"I know. You fell asleep in the middle of our conversation."

"I'm sorry I was tired from last week. It's hard work looking after 4 kids."

"I know."

"You weren't even here to know." She said with a smile.

"Well good practice for our other kids." He said with a smirk.

"Yes it will be." She said not looking at him. "You better get in the shower before you're late."

He pushes the covers off his body and moves into the bathroom. Meredith watches him walk in with a small smile on her face.

She looked back down at Cooper. He was still asleep. She traced her finger around his face. His eyes peaked open and they grew wider when he saw Meredith.

"Your daddy wants more siblings for you and Kaylee. What do you say about that mister?"

He just stares at her. He raises his arms in the air to be picked up. She picked him up and held him close to her body. She carried him downstairs and into the kitchen. She put some coffee on and made one for herself before sitting down and feeding Cooper.

Derek walked in 5 minutes later making a cup for himself.

"He really is the booby monster isn't he?" Derek says.

"He sure is. I don't think he will ever want me to stop breastfeeding him." Meredith says.

Derek sits in front of her admiring his son.

"He really is adorable isn't he?"

"He sure is. The cutest baby ever apart from Kaylee. They both are cute."

Derek made some breakfast for himself. Kaylee came into the kitchen rubbing her eyes.

"Morning peanut." Derek says.

"Morning daddy." She says walking towards him.

He picks her up and kisses her.

"Daddy can I have some breakfast please?"

"Of course."

He set her down on the chair and made her some breakfast. The two of them ate munching their breakfast while Meredith sat feeding Cooper.

...

The day was off. Derek took Kaylee with him to the hospital and Meredith took Cooper to school with her. He was asleep in the carrier. When she was in her first class there was a silence and she could hear him making suckling noises. She looked down and saw him moving his lips. Izzie leant over and whispered.

"What is he doing?" She asked.

"His dreaming that he is drinking." She told her.

Izzie just smiled and moved leant back into her chair. Meredith rubbed his back and smiled.

The teacher then broke the silence.

"We have marked all the exams from last Monday and must I say awesome effort from everyone but we have 1 person who has topped the class and gotten over the 95% mark." The teacher says.

Cristina leans over.

"And that would be me." She says.

Meredith shook her head.

"And that person is Meredith Grey."

Meredith wasn't even listening. She was looking at Cooper.

"Did she say my name?" She says.

"Yeah you got top mark in the class and over the average." Izzie says.

Cristina sat shocked.

"How the hell did that happen?" Meredith says.

"Maybe because you studied and because you're meant to be a surgeon."

"But why didn't Cristina get top marks. I mean she studies and studies and is hard core enough to be a surgery robot. I'm supposed to be a mum feeding her baby and looking after her kids."

"Maybe that has made you a better surgeon." Izzie suggests.

"Yeah I guess."

The results were handed back to everyone. Cristina still hadn't said a word about the exam. Meredith ignored her and knew she would come around. She just had to get over the fact that Meredith could also become a great surgeon and not just a good.

When the teacher handed Meredith her results back she stopped and started a small conversation with her.

"Meredith I am impressed. I mean you have two little ones at home and you still manage to get over the average. Was there something that you did to study that made it easier or was it just normal study routine."

"Both I guess. When I was feeding Coop I would study. My husband helped me study and if I was stuck I would always ask him or my step father. Then I just did the normal study."

"Well good work." She said before leaving.

"McDreamy helping you study just sent bad images through my head." Cristina says.

"No it was clean studying. We always had Kaylee or Coopie with us whenever he helped me."

"Good because I'm thinking of that strip game you came up with for the year 12 examines." Izzie says.

"No not that." She said.

Meredith read over her sheet.

"Class can I say that Meredith here has quite a busy life. I know we all do with part time jobs and other things but Meredith has a fulltime job; being a mother and she still got the best marks possible. For our final exams I want everyone to try and get to over the 90% mark." She said.

The bell rang for the end of class.

"I will see all you guys tomorrow."

Meredith packed everything into her bag and stood up and followed Izzie and Cristina out to the next class.

After that class that had a 20 minute break. They sat in the cafeteria talking.

"I've got to tell Derek what happened." She says.

She texted him quickly telling him what happened.

_Hey Der, got results back from my first exam and I got top of class and over the 95% mark beating Cristina. She's not happy but she'll get over it._

_Mer xxx_

She sat her phone back in her bag and joined in with the rest of the conversation.

...

After class she headed to the hospital to pick Kaylee up and take her home. On her way down from the crèche she dropped into Richard's office. Knocking on the open door.

"Hi Mer come on in." He said.

She walked in with Kaylee and Cooper on both of her hips.

"Not interrupting are we?"

"Not at all." He says. "Come here Coopie."

Meredith passes Cooper to him and he sits him on his knee. Meredith sits down on the chair and Kaylee sits on her lap. She was asleep.

"How was school?"

"Good, got my results back from all my exams last week. I was top in 3 out of the 5. Beating Cristina in 3 of them."

"God how'd she take it?"

"Fine in the end but she was annoyed that I beat her."

"Well she should know that everything isn't a competition."

"It's Cristina."

He just laughs.

"So is my Kaylee tired today?"

"She sure is. I went to pick her up and the crèche working said that she had a pretty big morning baking and playing games that she fell asleep just after lunch."

"Did she have a late night?"

"No she went normal time 8 o'clock and slept throughout all the night and woke at 7 this morning."

"Well maybe because she is growing, I swear she has gotten taller in the last few weeks since I last saw you guys."

"I think she has, I'll have to measure her this afternoon."

Derek had walked into the office and kissed her cheek.

"Hi." He says before sitting down.

He runs his hand over Kaylee's curls.

Richard passes Cooper over to Derek.

"How's work going?"

"Good I'm on call tonight though."

"Oh so you won't be home?"

"Nope sorry."

"That's okay."

"I'll make it up to you."

"I know you will." She says smiling at him.

Patricia then walks into the office dropping off some paperwork.

"Hi Meredith, Derek how are you two?"

"Good, how are you?" Meredith asks.

"I'm good. How is Kaylee and Cooper?"

"Kaylee is fast asleep and Cooper." Meredith says looking at him. "Is asleep as well."

"Well I better be going." She says.

Meredith waves goodbye to her.

"What's the paperwork on?" Derek asks.

"A donor is on its way in. 3 patients here are getting new organs." He says.

"That's good."

"Yes it is. Anyway I better be going." He says standing. He kisses Meredith's forehead and Kaylee's head. "I'll see you all later."

Richard leaves the office.

"I better get going as well." Meredith says. "Start dinner."

"Okay. I'll help you carry him down."

They leave and head down to the car talking about the exam results and work.

...

The next morning she wakes to a cold nose on hers. She opens her eyes to Kaylee.

"Morning mummy." She says.

"Morning Peanut."

"Where's daddy?"

"He had to work last night."

"When will he be home?"

"Not until later tonight. You're going to nanna's this afternoon. I have to pick Steph and Dan up from the airport after I have my class."

"Are you going to see Sam?"

"I don't know sweetie."

"Okay mummy."

"Let's get some breakfast going shall we."

"Yes."

"Let's go then sweetie."

Meredith got up with her and they walked down the stairs. Meredith got Kaylee some breakfast and sat reading the paper and eating her own breakfast.

Over the baby monitor Meredith could hear Cooper whimpering.

"I'll be back sweetie." Meredith says kissing her head.

She trudged up the stairs and into her bedroom where Cooper was asleep in the bassinet.

She looked over at him.

"Morning Coopie. Do you want some breakfast?" She asked Cooper kissing his head.

She carried him downstairs and fed him. She got the kids ready along with herself and dropped them off at Carolyn's before heading off to school.

After that one class she headed towards the airport to pick Steph and Dan up. She stood at the arrival gate for 15 minutes until people started walking through the doors. She saw Steph and Dan and called over to them. Steph practically jumped into Meredith's arms.

"God you're in a good mood." Meredith says.

"Well there is a reason for that."

They started walking towards the luggage claim.

"I have just gotten married, just been on my honeymoon and I have two kids and another on the way. Life is good."

"Yes it is."

They collected the luggage and headed to the car. Throwing the bags into the back and driving to their house.

Dan carried the luggage inside and sorted through the mail and made phone calls while Steph and Meredith caught up on everything.

"So how was the honeymoon?"

"Amazing. Fiji is great, very relaxing, a lot of swimming and lying around in the sun. The people are very friendly as well."

"How did Dan take the news about the baby?"

"Well I told him the moment we got off the plane. He was getting suspicious because I wasn't drinking when we got on the plane. I just said that I wanted to be sober for when we landed and I finally told him when we got off and just after we collected our luggage. He was so excited he picked me up and spun me around. Everyone was looking at us which was funny. He then spoilt me. Foot messages, back rubs any foods I wanted, anything else I wanted. He is so nice. I'm so glad I married him."

"That is good."

"How were the kids?"

"They were great. Zoe had a 24 hour flu and wouldn't leave my side that was about it. The kids were angels. We went to the lake last week and someone drowned while we were there. It beat Derek quite hard. I found out that his sister drowned when she was 4."

"God that must have been hard."

"It was he didn't talk to me for hours but we got over it."

They sat for a while not talking.

"Oh that reminds me."

She got up and came back 10 minutes later with a bag. She pulled out all these different things.

"Okay well we got you, Derek and the kids some presents."

"Oh you didn't have to do that."

"Yes we did. You looked after the kids for us. It was something that we just had to do."

"Why thank you."

"Okay you and Derek we got a bottle of Wine. There was a necklace for you and Kaylee. For Cooper we got him a cute little t-shirt. Derek we got him a t-shirt as well."

"Oh thank you."

Dan then walks out.

"Your mum just called. She said that they will bring the kids by in ten minutes."

"Okay then."

"I'm going to get going. Go and see my kids and my husband."

"Okay. I'll walk you to the door."

They get to the front door.

"Thanks again for looking after the kids."

"My pleasure it gave me practice for when I have more kids."

"So you and Derek are talking about it."

"Well yes and no but I want to wait until I am a doctor and have been for a year or so."

"Oh well that sounds reasonable.

Steph opens the door for her.

"You think?"

"Yeah well if you are pregnant when you're an intern you will fall behind and it will be hard to get back on track."

"So you think it's a good idea."

"If you think it is then it is. You're gotta trust your gut girl and beside you just had Cooper 5 months ago. There wouldn't be much of a difference in age."

"I know I know. I'm sticking with the no baby until later."

"Good."

"That reminds me I have some pictures to show you but I will show you them later."

"Okay then. Bye Mer. Thank you."

"No worries. What are you hoping you have?"

"I want a baby girl and Dan wants a boy we already have one of each at the moment but we weren't there when they were born so I don't know we will just have to wait and see."

"Waiting is fun." Meredith tells her. "I'll see you later Steph."

"Bye Mer."

Meredith leaves and arrives at home. Derek's car is in the driveway. She climbs out of the car and walks inside checking the mailbox on her way in. She flicks through all the letters. Most of them are just bills the others are just junk mail. She walks inside and walks through into the lounge. Derek is sitting with the kids. Cooper was on the ground and Kaylee and Derek are reading a book together. She sits down besides Kaylee. Derek wraps his arms around her and moves her closer to the reading.

They finished the book. Kaylee got up and hugged Meredith, kissing her.

"I missed you mummy."

"I missed you to baby."

Kaylee moved off the lounge and went and grabbed a toy and started playing with Cooper.

"How are Steph and Dan?"

"Good. They had a lot of fun. They got us some presents as well."

"They didn't have to."

"I said that but Steph insisted." She grabbed the bag and started searching through. "Kaylee come her baby."

Kaylee walked over to Meredith.

"Now aunty Steph got you this sweetie." She pulled out the necklace. "Do you like it?"

"It's pretty mummy. Can I wear it?"

"Sure baby."

Meredith put the necklace on her and she went back to playing with her toy.

"They got Coopie a t-shirt and you as well." She hands him the shirt. "She also got us a bottle of wine as a thank you."

He took the bottle and examined it.

"Wow this is a good bottle. We shall save it until a special occasion." He says.

"Okay and when will that be?"

"When the kids move out." He says with a smile.

Meredith just laughs and leans in and kisses him.

"What's for dinner?"

"Something quick. Just pasta. Which I am going to start now."

"Good because I'm starving."

Derek left the lounge room and Meredith picked Cooper up.

"Hello baby boy." She says kissing his head. "Did you miss me?"

He just smiles and buries his head into her shoulder. She hugs him close to her body.

...

After dinner Derek cleared the plates away and Meredith took the kids upstairs for a bath. She sat Cooper on the ground while she drew the bath water and undressed Kaylee. Kaylee climbed in and Meredith got Cooper undressed and in his bath seat.

Derek came into the bathroom and sat down beside Meredith and helped her bath the kids. After bathing the kids they read to Kaylee and put her to bed. Meredith started feeding Cooper and he fell asleep. She placed him in the cradle and went out and sat on the back porch with Derek.

She shared the same chair as him. He held her close to her body. She looked out to the backyard and Derek rested his chin on her shoulder.

"What are you thinking?" He asks.

"That the backyard looks bare."

"What do you mean?"

"Well there is hardly nothing there for the kids."

"Well Christmas is coming up. We can get them something. What were you thinking?"

"Like a play set. With a swing, a slide and whatever else you can get."

"Okay well we can get that. What else were you thinking for them?"

"Can we get them a puppy because since Bundy died I wanted another dog and because Juno doesn't live with us anymore?"

"I was thinking that as well. How about we have a romantic weekend away. We can go Christmas shopping and have a weekend without the kids."

"Sounds perfect. When will we go?"

"Well in a few weeks. You don't want to go to close to Christmas but still close enough."

"Okay we will go the weekend after Sam's party."

"Good. I will roster off work."

"And I will book accommodation and organise where the kids are staying."

"Mum will look after them."

"Okay sounds good. I will do that tomorrow."

They sit for a few more minutes.

"I remember something that you promised me." She says.

"And what is that?"

"You have some making up to do for being on call last night."

"Oh yes I remember." He says moving her head back and kissing her on the lips.

**Okay let me know what you think. Next chapter will be up earlier hopefully.**

**Next chapter is from 4 years ago and is Derek and Meredith's formal.**


	19. I love You and You're Beautiful

**Here is the next chapter, thanks for those who reviewed.**

**Enjoy**

The next Tuesday Meredith woke to a kiss on her forehead. She opened her eyes. Derek was kneeling in front of her.

"Hey I'm on my way to work. Go back to sleep. It's only 4.30. I'll see you this afternoon at the park for the photos." He whispers.

"Okay."

"I love you."

"I know." She says closing her eyes.

He kisses her again and leaves.

She wakes 2 hours later to the alarm. She rolls over and hits it. She looks across at the bassinet. Cooper is awake, kicking his legs and babbling away to himself.

Meredith kicks the covers off and gets up and takes him from the bassinet

"Morning Coopie." She says kissing him.

She takes him into the nursery. Changing his nappy and sitting in the chair and starts feeding him.

After feeding him she takes him downstairs and got breakfast herself and sat reading the paper. Kaylee came down just after she finished her breakfast. She gave her cereal and they started the normal routine. Meredith showered and got dressed. She got the kids dressed and their bags ready.

They left the house, dropping Kaylee and Cooper off at Carolyn's and then heading to school. The class flew by and she then left and drove over to Carolyn's.

"Hello?" She says from the door.

"We're in the lounge room Mer." She hears.

Moving into the lounge room Carolyn is reading to Kaylee and Alice is sitting on the lounge. Cooper is asleep in the bassinet.

"Ready to go to Steph's?" Mer asks Alice.

"Sure. Just let me get my bag."

Meredith sat down beside Kaylee. Carolyn had just finished reading the book.

"Hey mummy."

"Hi baby girl. Do you want to stay here with nanna or come with me to Steph's?"

"Steph please." She says with a smile. "I love you nanna but I wanna see Sam."

"That's fine Kaylee." Carolyn says with a smile.

"How long has Coopie been down for?"

"Half an hour."

"So I should be able to go to Steph's and stay there for an hour or so then come back and he should be ready for his feed. Does he have enough milk?"

"Yeah he only drank half a bottle and he was out."

"Okay, I think he might be getting another tooth coming through."

"Was he like that last time?"

"No he has been like how Kaylee was when she got her teeth."

"Okay hopefully this is better for him."

Alice soon came into the room. With a dress bag slung over her arm and another overnight bag on her shoulder.

"Ready Ally?" Meredith asks.

"Yes I am."

"Okay let's get going." She says. "Come on Kaylee, grab your bag and we can go."

Alice left for the car while Meredith waited for Kaylee to gather her bag and kissed Carolyn goodbye. She buckled Kaylee in and they headed to Steph's.

"Alice can you message Steph and tell her we should be there in 10 minutes."

"Okay."

They soon arrived at Steph's. She was out the front gardening with Sam and Zoe.

"Look Kaylee." Meredith said.

Kaylee looked out the window and got excited.

"Hurry mummy." She said.

Alice and Meredith laughed before getting out of the car. Meredith helped Kaylee out and she ran straight to Sam.

Steph led them inside into the downstairs bathroom. Kaylee, Sam and Zoe were in eye range just in the kids play room. Steph started doing Alice's hair and make up for her formal.

Meredith, Alice and Steph all talked about everything.

"So Alice is there anyone who you like?" Steph asks.

"Nope."

"Sure, there has to be someone."

"Well maybe there is but he won't be here next year he is leaving to go to England.

They then left Steph's and Meredith dropped her off at her friend's house before going back to Carolyn's house. She fed Cooper and then they headed to the park for the photos. They left Carolyn's 15 minutes earlier so they could let Kaylee play on the equipment and wait for Derek.

Derek soon arrived and took Cooper into his arms.

"Come on Kaylee we're going to go and see Aunty Ally." Meredith said to her.

Kaylee came running over to her and grabbed Meredith's hand and they headed down to find Alice. Carolyn and Amelia went off first and Meredith held Kaylee's hand. While Derek and her walked down. Derek held Meredith's free hand with his free hand.

They then spotted Alice and Nancy and Kathleen soon showed up. They got photos with every possible combo. Alice was then ushered away with her partner and they left headed for the year 12 dinner. Meredith and Derek left with the kids and went home. Derek cooked dinner while Meredith sat in the lounge room nursing Cooper. Looking at Cooper's face reminded her of Kaylee when she was a baby. He was older then what Kaylee was when Meredith and Derek had their formal.

Remembering four years ago was her year 12 formal and how sick Charlie was and how she had just met Steph and how Steph had just had Sam a few days earlier and how Saxon had been bashed and how the two kissed. A lot had happened that week in particular.

Kaylee was only 2 months old. Cooper was not even alive yet. Charlie was 6 and Jackson was 12. Alice was 15 and Amelia was 10. Ellis was still alive and had just been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and Ellis and Richard both lived in Boston.

...

_Flashback_

Meredith had woken that Thursday morning at home. Derek had stayed at the hospital that night and let Meredith stay home with Jackson and Kaylee. She looked over at her alarm clock and had seen what time it was. She climbed out of bed and went down to Jackson's room to wake him up for school.

She walked down to the nursery and saw that Kaylee was still asleep. She turned and walked downstairs to make breakfast for herself. Jackson walked into the kitchen dressed for school.

"Morning Mer."

"Morning to you to. How'd you sleep?"

"Alright."

"Just alright?"

"Yeah I just couldn't stop thinking about everything."

"What's wrong?" She asks him as she sees sadness in his eyes.

"Well first of I'm worried about Charlie. I don't know why."

"Charlie will be fine. She just needs plenty of rest and she will be fine."

"I know."

"What else is bothering you?"

"Well I had this thought that since Derek got accepted into med school does he have to move away from us cause I like having him around."

"Derek got accepted to med school here. So he won't move away from us. If he did have to move I'm sure we would go with him because I like having him around as well."

"I thought so."

"Is anything else on your mind?"

"Not really just school."

"Is something happening at school?"

"Just tests and it's almost the end of year 6 for me."

"I know matey then you are in high school."

"I know. I can't wait for that to happen but I'm also scared about it."

"Jackson I was so scared as well but you don't listen to all those stories and lies that people say to scare you. That just makes you even scared which is not what you want to happen on your first day. But Jackson to tell you the truth it all goes away within the first couple of hours."

"Promise?"

"I promise." She says hugging him. "Now start eating because I have to drop you off at school and go to the hospital."

"Okay and you have to formal tonight you excited?" Jackson asks.

"Like you wouldn't believe it but I'm sad as well because that brings my schooling to an end and I won't see some of my class mates for a long time."

"I'm sure you will still keep in contact with them."

"Same."

After getting ready they are heading out the door for their day.

Meredith drops Jackson off at school.

"I'll see you at the park this afternoon. Remember to go home with Amelia on the bus."

"I know bye Mer."

He walks away and catches up to Jasmine. Meredith watches them with a smile.

"Hopefully they can stay like that for a long time." She says to herself.

She leaves the school grounds and heads across to the hospital. She takes Kaylee out and grabs her bag and starts walking inside and heading up to Charlie's room. Derek is asleep next to the bed. Meredith went over and whispered in his ear.

"Wake up Derek. We have to get ready for the formal."

He stirred and his blue eyes soon opened.

"Morning." He said.

"Same to you." She said.

"Pass me Kaylee." He said.

She handed him Kaylee and then went and sat next to Charlie talking to her. She was getting stronger and a whole lot better.

After staying at the hospital they headed home. They dropped Kaylee off at Carolyn's so they could get ready. Derek was getting ready with the boys and the girls were getting ready there as well.

The boys used the 3 out of the four hours watching TV. The girls spent an hour of the 4 talking before getting ready.

After they were all finished the girls looked at each other smiling. Snapping a few pictures and grabbing their bags the girls went down one by one. Meredith went last after turning everything off. As she walked down the stairs everyone was talking among themselves. Even Derek was. Then out of the corner of his eye he saw something sparkle. He turned and saw that the sparkle was Meredith.

His breath was taken away. She looked gorgeous. Not that she did before but she looked beautiful. He was so used to seeing her in casual clothes after looking after the kids.

She had finished the stairs and walked towards him. She had looked like a princess.

"Meredith you look absolutely beautiful." Derek says kissing her cheek.

"Why thank you. You look gorgeous as well." She says.

"Thank you." He said. "May I?" He said holding out his arm.

"Of course you may." She said linking her arm with his.

They walked out the front door locking it and headed out to the front were a limo had just pulled up.

After the trip to the park they met up with everyone. They had photos with everyone before having a year photo. They quickly said goodbye to Kaylee and got in the limo headed to the dinner.

After the dinner they presented the novelty awards.

Each one was to do with the biggest blonde moments, most likely to succeed, Barbie and ken, man whore, party animal and things along those lines. The Barbie and ken award was the jock and the plastic fantastic.

They were just up to the man whore award when Meredith's phone rang.

She answered it after moving outside.

"Hello?"

"_Hi Mer it's just Carolyn. Kaylee has come down with a temperature and is having trouble sleeping and eating."_

"Do you want me to come over?"

"_No stay and enjoy the formal. She is settled at the moment just being with me."_

"Okay well there is some medicine in her bag hopefully that helps. I've got to get going. I'll see you later. Kiss Kaylee for me and Derek."

"_Will do. See you in the morning."_

"Yes, bye Carolyn."

She hung up and went back inside sitting down at the table.

"Kaylee has a fever." She says to Derek.

"Does Ma want us to go over?"

"No she is handling it she wants us to enjoy the night."

"Okay. Guess who got the man whore award?"

"Mark."

"Great guess."

Meredith just laughed as they introduced the next award. The Romeo and Juliet award.

That award was handed to Meredith and Derek. They were surprised considering they didn't date but the reason was because they were meant for each other.

Being presented with crowns and certificates.

"And before you two both sit down we have something else to give you."

Meredith just looked at Derek.

"So because you two became parents not long ago we decided to get you a little something. More novelty then useful." The girl said.

The handed them a doll potty and baby doll food along with another baby doll.

"Just because you don't have your baby with you tonight doesn't mean you can slack off."

Meredith and Derek just laughed at the stuff being handed to them.

After the presentation of the novelty awards talking, dancing and drinking were all being done.

The night was drawing close to midnight.

Derek had had enough of talking.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked Meredith.

"Of course." She said taking his hand.

He led her to the dance floor were they started dancing. The song then changed to a slower paced one.

_Forever could never be long enough for me  
Feel like I've had long enough with you  
Forget the world now, we won't let them see  
That there's one thing left to do_

They swayed side to side. Her head rested on his shoulder.

_Not that the weight has lifted  
Love has surely shifted my way_

Marry me, today and everyday  
Marry me, if I ever get the nerve to say Hello in this cafe  
Say you will, hmm  
Say you will, hmm

"This is such a beautiful song." Meredith whispered into his shoulder.

"Yes it is." He said back to her. Inhaling the smell of her lavender conditioner.

_Together could never be close enough for me  
To feel like I am close enough to you  
You wear white and I'll wear out the words, "I love you", and "You're beautiful"_

_Now that the wait is over  
Love has finally showed her my way_

_Marry me, today and everyday  
Marry me, if I ever get the nerve to say Hello in this cafe  
Say you will, hmm  
Say you will, hmm_

Promise me, you'll always be  
Happy by my side  
I'll promise too, sing to you  
When all the music dies

And marry me, today and everyday  
Marry me, if I ever get the nerve to say Hello in this cafe  
Say you will, hmm  
Say you will, hmm  
Marry me, hmm

The song finished and she lifted her head up from his shoulder. A single tear escaped her eye. He used the back of his thumb to get rid of it.

"No need to cry."

"I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"There's no need to be embarrassed." He said with a smirk.

"Fine I'm crying."

"Why?"

"Because it makes me think of us and what we might have with one another."

"Of course we will have that."

"What do you think would happen if we didn't?"

She asked as they went and sat down at the table.

"I don't know. I guess that life wouldn't be the same. Life without you feels weird." He said.

"I know." She said. "Promise me that you will say you love me every day and that I am beautiful when I say that I'm not beautiful or when I don't say I love you."

"Okay Mer." He says. "You're beautiful and I love you."

"I don't mean now but thank you." She said hugging him.

"How about we get out of here. Go and visit Charlie in our outfits and then I will treat you to some dessert."

"Sounds perfect."

They left after saying goodbye to everyone. They caught a taxi to the hospital visiting Charlie. She was happy to see them both.

"Excuse me but you two will have to leave. Visiting hours are over." The nurse said.

"Okay well we better get going Car. We will see you tomorrow." Meredith said kissing her forehead.

Derek did the same and they got in the Derek's car that he left there earlier and Derek drove them to a diner that was still opened. Buying ice cream and chocolate cake to eat. Sitting on the balcony overlooking the harbour. The Seattle summer breeze was blowing and made the hot air stay away.

After they had finished their dessert they just looked at each other.

"Where to now?" Meredith asked.

"I don't know." He said.

"There has to be something else besides the after party's." She said.

Then an idea came to Derek's mind.

"Come on I have an idea."

He grabbed her hand and dragged her to the car. He drove to the lookout point watching the ferryboats.

"What are we doing here?" She asked.

"We are going to stay and watch the sun rise over Seattle."

Her face grew a smile.

"Serious?"

"Yes I am." He said climbing out of the car. "Now I'm hoping we have some blankets and stuff."

He said fumbling around in the boot. Meredith climbed out of the car and stood waiting.

He brought some blankets and sleeping bags. He laid them on the hood of the car. Helping Meredith up and he sat beside her. Bringing the blankets over their bodies.

They laid there talking about everything, the favourite dresses, tuxes, funniest moment and their novelty awards.

"Derek I'm getting cold." She said.

"Okay I can help you with that." He wrapped his arms around her bringing the blanket higher around her body. "Better?" He asked.

"Much."

She felt safe and warm in his arms. Remembering their talk about the song and promising things to one another.

"Derek."

"Hmm."

"Wait for me. That's all I'm asking."

"Okay Mer."

"You gotta say you promise."

"I promise that I will wait for you." He said.

"Good."

The hours went by and the sun was soon starting to rise. Meredith and Derek weren't awake for the sunrise they had fallen asleep in each other's arms. Safe and securely. They both felt right in each other's arms.

...

After dinner and the activities of getting the kids bathed and into bed Derek climbed in beside's Meredith. She was staring at the window.

"What you thinking about?" He asks.

"4 years ago."

"What part?"

"Our formal and how we had promised things but they didn't work until last year and how much of an amazing night you made it." She said.

"It was a good night wasn't it."

"It sure was."

"Meredith you're beautiful and I love you." He said.

"I love you too." She said back.

**What'd you think? Let me know. Next chapter is Sam's 4****th**** birthday. I will try update in a few days.**


	20. We Have Seen Everything

**Okay here is the next chapter, it is Sam's birthday**

**Enjoy **

That Saturday they woke to Kaylee running in and jumping on the bed.

"Mummy, daddy it's Sam's birthday. Hurry we gotta get going or we're going to be late." She says.

Meredith and Derek just groan. Meredith looking at the clock.

"Quick, quick, get dressed. I'll get Coopie up." She says going to jump off the bed.

"Kaylee." Derek says grabbing her arm.

"Yes daddy."

"The party doesn't start until 12 and it is only 7."

"Yeah so we don't have long."

"Sweetie we have 5 hours."

"Yeah that isn't long."

Meredith and Derek just laugh.

"Sweetie we have plenty of time. Just take a few deep breaths and calm down." Meredith tells her.

Kaylee breaths in and out and then sits down on the bed.

"We have plenty of time so why don't you go downstairs and watch some TV or do something. While your mummy and me have a few more moments of rest."

"Okay." She says jumping off the bed and running out of the room.

"She's not my kid." Derek says jokingly.

Meredith hits him playfully.

"What was that for?"

"You know exactly what that was for." She says with a kiss. "She looks too much like you not to be your kid."

"I know." He says kissing her. "Good morning by the way."

"Same to you. I was hoping to get another hour sleep but that went out the door." She says.

"The joy of having kids."

"She's determined." Meredith says

"Of course she would be. It's her future husbands' birthday. Who wouldn't be determined to be there 5 hours early?"

Meredith just giggles.

"Tell you what would be nice."

"What is that my dear."

"A nice cooked breakfast with my family."

"Do you want to go down to the cafe?"

"No one here would be nice."

"Well I will make a start on that right now." He says.

"Thank you. You're the best husband ever."

"I know."

She watches him leave the room smiling. Lying back down she closes her eyes.

...

"Mummy can we go now?" Kaylee asks.

"Yes sweetie. We just have to get everything ready. Especially your baby brother."

She had been asking if they could leave for the past 4 hours they would reply with be patient and wait.

"Can you go and check Coopie for me see if he is awake." Meredith asks.

"Okay mummy." Kaylee says turning around and bouncing out of the kitchen.

Derek then walked in with the baby bag and the esky.

"Okay Coopie's bag is packed. I threw some other clothes for Kaylee in there. I have the esky here for the food and drinks."

"Okay thank you. Can you go into the study and grab the present for Sam and the wrapping paper and things. I'll wrap his present just before we leave."

Derek turns and leaves. Then Kaylee runs pushing the walker with Cooper in it.

"His awake mummy."

"You didn't wake him up did you?"

"No mummy."

"Okay good girl."

"Is there anything else mummy."

"No that is all there is to do. You can put your shoes on if you want."

"Okay."

After getting everything ready they were out the door. Derek carried the esky, Kaylee carried Sam's present and Meredith carried Cooper and the baby bag.

Putting the kids in the car they headed off to Dan and Steph's.

"Is Coopie asleep Kaylee?" Meredith asks.

"Yes mummy."

"That's good because I am sure he would want to not miss out on much." Meredith says with a smile.

"Daddy we will be there soon won't we?"

"Yes Kaylee. Calm down we won't miss anything."

"I know I just want to see Sam."

"We know." Derek and Meredith say in unison.

Kaylee distracts herself with looking out the window.

"I still can't believe he is 4. It felt like yesterday when I saw him being delivered." Meredith says.

"I know it feels unreal. The past four years have flown and now we have 2 beautiful kids." He says holding her hand.

"I know. We have also gotten married. Finished school. Had our break up's and fights. I think it's safe to say we have seen everything."

"You can't say that we have seen everything. There is a lot that we haven't seen and I'm glad we haven't seen it."

"I know me to."

He turned down the street to Steph and Dan's and they knew that Kaylee was getting excited. He pulled up just outside in the driveway. Balloons were tied to the letterbox. Kaylee was bursting to get out of her seat.

"Hang on Kaylee." Derek tells her.

Meredith gets out of the car and takes Cooper out. He stays asleep from the transfer from the car seat to her arms. Derek unbuckles Kaylee and sets her on the ground. She takes off as fast as her little legs will take her. Knocking on the door.

Steph opens the door.

"Hello Kaylee."

"Hi Steph." She says. "Can I see Sam?"

"Sure. He is out the back."

Kaylee runs straight past Steph and inside. Steph wanders down the driveway and helps Derek with the stuff from the back.

"Steph no heavy lifting." Meredith says.

"It's not heavy." Meredith shoots her a glare. "Fine I'll carry the baby bag."

Derek takes the pram out from the back and opens it. Meredith lays Cooper down inside and puts a blanket on over the front shading him from the sun. Derek takes the last things from the car and carries them inside. They head inside and out to the back.

In the backyard and jumping castle is sitting in there. A new play set is also set up.

"Did you get Sam and play set?" Meredith asks.

"Sure did. Dan and his dad spent all day yesterday setting it up."

"I'll have to check that out later. What else did you get him?"

"Well the play set was a joint present for Christmas as well. We got him a few other bits and pieces. A soccer set, a few toys and clothes."

"Did he like them?"

"Sure did."

Steph and he walk down to the play set.

"You should have seen Kaylee this morning. Came bursting into our room at 7 this morning saying we were going to be late and we had to hurry. It was so cute. We had to tell her to breathe and calm down."

"Oh she was only excited to see Sam."

"Yes I think that was the case."

They reached the play set and Meredith checked it out.

"We're getting the kids one for Christmas. I think one like this would be too big for our yard."

"Well that was everything. You don't have to add everything to it."

"Yeah I don't know. I'll have to have Derek come and look and we will decide from there. How much was it?"

"400."

"Okay we will have a look around I guess."

Kaylee and Sam then come running past and go and jump on the play set while Steph and Meredith head up to the house. Derek is helping Dan inside getting the drinks ready to take out to the entertainment area.

"Derek you will have to check the play set outside. I'm not sure if it is too big or what."

"I'll check it out when there is no kids out running around." Derek says.

"So Steph when do you see the obstetrician." Meredith asks.

"I go on Friday. Just to confirm it and stuff and organise everything else."

"I must say though that you are starting to show a bump already. Usually that doesn't start until the 12th week. Do you think that it is multiples?" Derek asks.

"I don't know. We haven't talked about that."

"Does multiples run in either family?" Meredith asks.

"Um Dan's mum is a twin and his dad's dad was a triplet. No multiples in my family." She says.

"So there is a possibility that you could have twins or maybe even triplets." Meredith says.

Dan and Steph just look at each other. Derek and Meredith laugh.

"I guess we will find out at the doctors. I really I want to see the ultrasound now."

"I miss all the doctors' appointments and the ultrasounds. They are so fun." Meredith says.

"Me too." Steph says.

"You know Mer you can stop missing them." He says wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Derek we talked about it, no kids until after I have been an intern and things like that."

"I know I just don't want to have a huge age gap between the kids."

"I know but we have talked about this numerous times."

"I know I know."

Meredith just smiles and shakes her head in Steph's direction. Steph just laughs.

"See what I mean."

Steph just laughs again.

The doorbell soon rings.

"I'll get that." Steph says.

Steph leaves the room.

"Where's Zoe?" Meredith asks Dan.

"She is napping." He says checking his watch. "But she has been down since 10 so she should be due to wake soon."

"Oh Derek could you move Coopie's pram inside. I left him on the back porch but it is getting hot outside so it is probably better if we bring him inside."

"Okay I'll go and do that now." He says kissing her cheek.

"I'm kind of scared now that we might be having twins, or triplets. What about if it is quads or quinces or even sextuplets. How the hell would we be able to look after that many kids?" He says.

"Ah the joys of parenting." Meredith says patting his back.

"I'm being serious."

"Well you figure out a plan. I'm sure twins would be easier than sextuplets."

"Yeah I suppose."

They then hear crying.

"That's Zoe." Dan says.

"I'll get her. You help your wife in getting ready."

Dan heads off to the front door and Meredith goes upstairs to Zoe's room. Zoe is standing and holding the railing.

"Hey Zoe." Meredith says to her. "How are you?"

Zoe doesn't answer but holds her arms out.

Meredith picks the toddler up.

"How about I get you dressed sweetie and you can go downstairs and play with everyone."

Zoe just sucks her thumb as Meredith finds some clothes for her. While dressing Zoe Derek soon comes into her room. She looks behind her then back down at Zoe.

"Who's that Zo?"

She looks up at Derek and smiles.

"Der."

"That's right sweetie."

Derek starts pulling faces at her and she smiles, even giggling.

"What's he doing Zoe, is Derek being silly?" She says nodding her head. "Is he?"

"No."

"He isn't. So he isn't being silly, what is he doing then?"

"Being silly." Zoe says.

Meredith and Derek just laugh at her.

"You're a little cutie aren't you?" Meredith says.

Zoe shakes her head.

"I'm Zo not a cut-ee."

"I think you're a cutie Zoe."

She finishes dressing her.

"Now let's go downstairs and see who is here." Meredith says picking her up. "Do you want to walk or be carried?"

"Carried."

They head downstairs and there is about a dozen kids running around.

"God look how many kids have shown up." Meredith says. "That was all in the space of 10 minutes."

"I know." He says watching them run into the lounge room. "Oh they are going to wake Coop up."

"Did you leave him in the lounge room?"

"Yeah cause I didn't think they would be inside. I'll move him into the kitchen."

He goes into the lounge room and comes out with the pram.

"Where are your shoes Zo?"

"Mumma knows."

"Okay we will ask her then you can go and play on the jumping castle. How does that sound?"

"Good."

After getting Zoe's shoes on she was off running around with all the other kids. Meredith was getting dizzy watching the kids run around and around in circles.

Meredith sat with Cooper out under the entertainment area half an hour later. He was watching the kids carefully. He then stands up with Meredith supporting him.

"Do you want to go and play with the kids Coopie?"

He just turns and looks at her. Derek comes and sits down beside her.

"What's he doing?" Derek asks.

"He wants to go and play?"

"Coopie you're too young." Derek says to the baby. "They'll hurt you."

"I don't think he cares very much."

"Give him to me. I'll take him over to the swing."

"Okay, I'll go and get his hat."

Derek takes him from Meredith and carries him to the swing. While Meredith grabs Cooper's hat and brings it back out to Derek to sit on his head and starts pushing him.

...

The afternoon goes by. Kaylee is on the jumping castle with all the other kids. The adults are sitting down watching them. When they hear crying.

"That's Kaylee." Derek says getting up and running over to the jumping castle.

"What happened?" He asks the kids.

"Kaylee bumped heads with Sam and there is blood." One kid answers.

Derek finds Kaylee holding her nose. He picks her up and carries her out.

"Is your nose bleeding?"

She nods her head.

"Okay let's take you inside."

Carrying her inside and into the bathroom Steph and Meredith follow him. Sitting her down on the seat, Steph hands her some tissues and he holds them up against her nose.

"Now Kaylee you have to hold the tissues to your nose were the blood is coming from then lean your head forward." He tells her. "Can I get a face washer?"

Steph hands him a cool face washer and he puts it on the back of her neck.

"And this Kaylee will help cool you down and slow the blood flow."

After 5 minutes all the kids had come to see how Kaylee was. Meredith thought it was cute that they all cared for her. Her nose stopped bleeding after a while and Steph ushered the kids back outside.

Derek took the tissues away from her nose.

"All finished. How about you go to mummy and she will clean your face."

She got up off the seat and walked to Meredith with her cleaning the blood from her face.

"How about you come and sit down with me for a little while. Get you eating something and hydrating yourself."

Kaylee nods her head.

"Come on then." Meredith says to her as she picks her up and carries her outside.

Sitting down on the chair she sits Kaylee on her lap. Kaylee eats and has a drink.

"Mummy where's Coopie?" She asks.

"Coopie is in his pram."

"So he didn't see all the blood?"

"No he didn't. But sweetie Cooper is only a baby he wouldn't be able to tell." She tells her.

"I know mummy but you never know if he does know what it is. I'm sure you wouldn't want him being turned off becoming a doctor."

"I don't care what he becomes and you either."

"I know mummy."

Sam then comes up to them.

"Do you want to come and play again?"

Kaylee looks up at Meredith.

"Go on."

She climbs off her lap and they run off together.

"Mer what's the time?" Steph asks.

"Almost four, why?"

"The party finishes at 4.30. I was going to bring the cake out."

"Okay I'll come and give you a hand."

Meredith helps Steph with the cake which is a blue train. They sit it on the table and go and get the kids gathered around to sing happy birthday. For a better look at the cake Kaylee was on Meredith's hip.

After singing happy birthday Meredith whispered in Kaylee's ear.

"Does that look yummy?" She asks Kaylee.

"Yes, can I have one like that next year?"

"Maybe sweetie. What one did you have this year because I can't remember?"

"They were cupcakes with all different things on them."

"Oh yes I remember. You will have to ask Nanna to make you one. I'll be too busy at work and let's just say that nanna makes really good cakes."

"She sure does."

Steph hands her a piece and Meredith puts her on the ground and she goes and joins all the other kids.

"You did a wonderful job with the cake." Derek said after he finished his piece. "How long did it take to make?"

"Well mum came and helped me but overall about 2 to about 3 hours. It was quite fiddly but was fun making."

"Well it was delicious." Meredith said.

After a little more talking parents turned up to pick up their kids. It was only Steph, Dan, Meredith, Derek and the 4 kids. They were just waiting on Steph's parents and her sister and brother and their kids. They were also waiting for Dan's parents and his sister and her three kids. They were all having an afternoon of drinking, eating and celebrating Sam's birthday.

The family soon arrived and the kids went off playing and the adults are migrated back to the entertainment area. Cooper was also awake now and was enjoying being passed around to everyone and getting attention from them all. They had just started talking about Christmas and what they were getting the kids.

"Kim what are you get Polly and Leo?" Dan asks.

"We are getting them a trampoline and a set of skies for our skiing trip next year."

"Leo is only 2, how on earth are you going to get him skiing?" Steph says.

"You'll see."

Steph just shakes her head and turns to her older brother.

"Tim what are you getting Ethan, Harley and Leah?"

"We got them plane tickets and we are flying to Australia, Fiji and New Zealand for 2 months."

"Oh lucky kids." Meredith says. "Kaylee and Cooper would be too hard to take on a trip like that and we would have no time."

"Yeah well we took time off to take the kids away. We haven't been on a trip for a few years as a family."

"Meredith and Derek what are you getting Kaylee and Coop?" Dan asks.

"Well we are getting them a play set, a new puppy and we will get them whatever else, it's hard because Coopie is too young to buy something like skies or a trip to Australia but at least he can play with the puppy and he can swing on the swings."

"How old is he now?" Bianca, Tim's wife asks.

"He was just turned 5 months on the 30th and will be 6 months by the end of this month."

"He looks to I don't know the word but he seems more developed if that makes any sense." Bianca says. "He is standing, commando crawling, and eating solids. He is really observant as well."

"Yeah I get what you mean. He is just a fast learner. When he was a new baby he was observant if we weren't in the room he would know. He would know who Kaylee was and who everyone else was. He was holding his head by himself quite early. I don't know he is just a fast learner I guess." Meredith says.

After the dinner and the drinking they decided to call it a night. Kaylee was getting overtired and Cooper was still awake. They said goodbye to everyone and left for home. Meredith took Kaylee straight up to bed and laid her down in bed she tucked her in and headed for the door.

"Mummy."

"Yes sweetie."

"I just wanted to say I love you."

"I love you to baby girl. Now get some sleep we have a big day tomorrow."

"Night mummy."

"Night Kaylee."

Meredith shut the door halfway and headed down to the bedroom. Cooper was asleep in his bassinet and Derek was changing into his pyjamas. Meredith sat on the edge of the bed watching him. He sat beside her.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just tired. Kids parties are tiring."

"I agree."

"I'm gonna get changed and climb into bed."

She finally falls back into the bed in her changed clothes; Derek wraps his arms around her.

"Do you think Steph is having twins or triplets?" He asks.

"The possibility is there but some woman show quite early, but talking about the multiples that run in Dan's family then there is a huge chance."

"You have no multiples in your family do you Derek?"

"Not that I know of."

"Good because I don't want to have to carry 4 babies and give birth to them. If that happens then you can get me a new vagina."

Derek just laughs.

"Sure Mer."

"I'm serious."

"I know you are but the chances are you won't be having quads."

"Good."

"Get some sleep Mer. We have another big day tomorrow seeing Santa and all."

"I can't wait to see Santa." She says sarcastically.

"Me either."

**What'd you think? Let me know. **

**Tomorrow I am hoping for a snow day. We rarely get these in Australia and it would be amazing. **

**Next chapter is Derek's work Christmas party.**


	21. Big Guns

**Okay next chapter is up. I feel as if I am on a role.**

The next morning Cooper woke Meredith and Derek.

"Can you get him please?" Meredith asks.

"Sure but I don't think that I have what he wants."

"I know I just need a few more minutes."

He gets up off the bed and takes Cooper out of the bassinet and carries him into the nursery. Changing his nappy and taking him downstairs to the back porch. He sat with Cooper enjoying the warm sun. Cooper wouldn't sit. All he wanted to do was stand.

"You are one determined boy aren't you?"

He just answers with falling back down on Derek's lap and then standing again.

Meredith soon emerges and sits down with them. When Cooper spots Meredith he leans towards her and holds his arms out to her. She takes him in her arms and he soon sits. She starts feeding him.

"See what I mean he only wants you for the food and me I don't know."

"You will be there for the football and the sports and everything else just like how I will be there for Kaylee for the shopping and the makeup and you will be the over protective father and the one she comes to for money."

"I won't be that over protective."

"Sure you won't."

"I'm being serious. Anyway you made me forget what I was going to say just before."

"Sorry. It will come to you." She says. "What time does this Christmas party start today?"

"Well they are having a barbeque that starts at about 12 at the hall over behind the hospital. They're going to have jumping castles and other small rides for the kids and games then Santa gets there at about 2 and they hand out the presents and then we can go. Cooper should be the first kid then Kaylee will be about 4 age groups later."

"Okay, it seems like a good social event and it is something for the kids as well."

"I know and most of the kids who go to the crèche come as well so Kaylee will have friends."

"Good."

"Oh and I also got told to pack swimmers because they have like a slip and slide and the weather is good for it as well."

"Okay well you can pack all that gear in and make sure you put the sunscreen in I don't want Kaylee being a beetroot."

"Yeah I know." He says. "I'm going to go and make some coffee do you want one?"

"Not a coffee but a tea please."

"Coming right up." He says kissing her cheek.

...

After feeding Cooper she put him in his swing. Kaylee was awake as well.

"Now sweetie daddy and I are going to go and get ready. We should be 15 minutes. Remember no answering doors or phones. If something happens then come upstairs and get us okay?"

"Okay mummy."

She headed upstairs into the bathroom. The shower was already going and Derek was in there. She dropped her clothes and joined him in the shower.

They soon emerged 10 minutes later. Getting dressed.

Meredith dressed in a pair of cargo print shorts and a white singlet. She let her wet hair hang down over her shoulders. Derek dressed in board shorts and put a blue shirt on.

"I'm going to go downstairs and get the kids breakfast." Meredith says.

"Okay but before you do we have forgotten something."

"What?" She asks.

"This." He leans in placing his hand on her cheek and leaning in and kissing her for a few moments. He pulls away. "Morning."

After having a slow morning of doing nothing they were getting ready to go. Cooper was in his walker following Meredith around as she was doing housework.

"Come on Coopie time to get you dressed and we can go and see Santa."

She says to Cooper taking him out of the walker and walking up the stairs with him in her arms. She laid him down on the change table taking off his clothes.

He was happily smiling so Meredith started pulling silly faces at him and blowing raspberries on his stomach and pretending to eat his feet.

He laid there enjoying the attention and the silliness.

"You are one funny boy aren't you?" She says to him. "We better get you ready so we can leave. I don't think your daddy or your sister is willing to wait."

She changed his nappy and his clothes into a onesie with "Daddy's future rock star" and a pair of shorts.

"I think we should put some shoes on your feet."

She picked him up and carried him to the basket were all his shoes are. Finding him a pair of shoes she put them on his little feet she also grabs his hat and glasses from the top of the dresser.

"You are ready to go my baby boy." She says to him.

He wraps his arms around her.

"You're my little koala bear today aren't you."

She leaves the nursery with some spare clothes, bibs, nappy's and wipes.

Derek and Kaylee are downstairs waiting.

"Oh here you are. We thought you had left without us." Derek said.

"No we haven't. This little one was having his smiling time."

"Oh was he just." He coos to him. "He still is."

"I know he always does."

Derek takes Cooper into his arms and Meredith walks into the kitchen to find the baby bag.

"Did you get sunscreen, Kaylee's hat, her swimmers, a towel and some spare clothes?"

"I sure did. It's all packed in the baby bag or Kaylee is wearing them."

"Okay good. I just have to pack this in and we can go."

"Well if you do that then I will get your daughter and we will head down to the car."

"Okay, do you need anything?"

"Can you get my hat and sunnies and my phone and wallet?"

"Anything else?"

"My keys."

"Sure go put the kids in the car."

He leaves with Kaylee and Cooper and puts them in the car. Meredith gets Derek's gear and she grabs her gear along with some baby food and a cotton blanket for Cooper. She locks the house door and climbs into the car handing Derek his sunnies and keys. He starts the car and they head off to the Christmas party. She put Cooper's hat and sunnies on as well.

"Mummy will Santa be there today?"

"Of course sweetie."

"What else is going to be there?"

"Well there will be rides, a jumping castle, slip and slide, a lot of kids, ice cream, games and I'm not too sure what else is going to be there."

"Is Car going to be there?"

"She sure is."

"Good."

Meredith looks at her daughter. She has pink sunnies on and her pink hat on. Her black curls tied in a ponytail underneath her hat.

"Did Kaylee dress herself?" Meredith asks Derek.

"Yeah she did."

"Well she is matching; I think she will be a fashion designer rather than a doctor."

"Well actually I got her clothes she just got dressed herself."

"Oh so it's you who wants to be a fashion designer."

"Yes it has always been a passion of mine to be in the industry. I know I would be amazing."

"Oh you're too funny." She says smiling at him.

"I'm not joking."

"Oh I thought you were. Well if that's the case then you better get enrolled in a course."

"Maybe I will."

There is a silence between them.

"Your joking aren't you." Meredith says.

"Yeah I am."

"Good because then I would have thought other things about you."

"Well I'm not. I have a wife and 2 kids don't I?"

"Yeah but that doesn't mean anything we could just be." She says checking Kaylee then turning back. "S-e-x buddies." She spells out in a whisper. "And just happen to have 2 kids and be married you could be going off and doing other stuff to other people."

"And why on earth would I do that when I have you and being buddies is weird." He says smiling.

"Yeah I know. I'm glad you don't do stuff to other people."

They arrived at the party. Derek got Kaylee out of the car and helped assemble the pram. She transferred Cooper into the pram and strapped him in and pulled the shade over him. Derek put the baby bag into the basket and locked the car.

"Let's go." He says grabbing Kaylee's hand and walking off. Meredith trails behind pushing Cooper in the pram.

When they walked into the park they saw all the rides and the many kids running around.

"Daddy can I go and play."

"Sure sweetie but we need to put sunscreen on you first. Your mummy doesn't want you to look like a beetroot."

"A beetroot?"

"Yeah it's a vegetable that is purple but people use it as a saying your red like a beetroot."

"That's a silly saying."

"I know it is." He says rubbing the rest of the cream into her skin. "Okay you can go now."

She runs off towards the jumping castle.

"Do you want to find a seat in the shade and get some lunch?" Derek asks.

"Sure."

The find a seat on the veranda of the hall. He opened the chairs and they sat down in them.

"What do you want to eat?" He asks her.

"Um I don't mind."

"Okay I'll be back in a few minutes." He tells her kissing her on the lips.

She looks at Cooper who looks at her.

"Do you want some food?"

He just smiles. She grabs a jar of food and a spoon, puts the bib around his neck and starts feeding him.

The jar is finished just as Derek comes back with lunch. She wipes his face and she starts eating her own lunch. They sat eating and entertaining Cooper. He looked more interested in running around with the other kids.

"You are too young Coopie. Next year you will be able to run around with them." Derek says.

Charlie then comes walking towards them.

"Hey Car." Meredith says. "Who brought you here?"

"Dad did, he is talking to some people. Where's Kaylee?"

"She is running around somehere. I don't know where but she is on something."

"Okay I'm going to go and find her."

They watch Charlie head towards the jumping castle.

"She has found her." Meredith says.

"She sure has."

Richard soon comes towards them.

"Hey Richard."

"Hey, how are both of you?"

"We are good. What about you?"

"I'm good. Where are my two grandkids?"

"Kaylee is with Charlie and Coopie is in his pram wanting to play with the kids."

"Oh it isn't that fun out there baby boy." He says unbuckling him and taking him out of the pram. "God you have gotten big, have you been working out?" He asks him.

Cooper just smiles at him.

"Richard take the seat." Derek says. "I'm going to go and check on Kaylee."

He gets up and heads down to the jumping castle and Richard takes his chair.

"This is a good set up." Meredith says.

"Yeah it is, I'm really surprised because it hasn't run before and when I went to Boston they had one every year so I thought it was a good idea for the families to get together and socialise and a way just to have fun. They done a good job this year and hopefully it lasts for a while."

"Well I think that is a good idea. Meet some of the wives and husbands of the people Derek works with."

"Well I can go and introduce you to some of them."

"No that's alright. I'm happy to sit here and talk to you."

They sat talking when Derek came over.

"Pass me Coopie; I'm going to take him on the teacups." Derek says.

"Okay, I'll come and watch." She says.

She turns to Richard to grab Cooper.

"I'm going to go and talk."

She settles Cooper on her hip and heads over to Derek and they walk to the teacups. Cooper is getting excited and bouncing around on her hip.

"Settle down Coopie. You have to wait your turn." Meredith says to him.

Charlie and Kaylee come and stand beside them.

"Do you want me to take Coopie?" Charlie asks.

"If you don't mind." Derek says.

"No I don't."

"Okay well hold onto my boy tightly." Meredith says handing Cooper over to Charlie.

It is soon their turn and they find a cup to sit in. Charlie holds Cooper with one arm and Kaylee with the other.

The ride starts and Cooper starts smiling.

Derek wraps his arms around Meredith's waist and watches with a smile.

Every time they pass Meredith and Derek laugh at Cooper's reactions.

"His having a ball." Meredith says.

"I know. I'm hoping we can coax him away from them."

"I can, I was going to feed him and try and get him to sleep before Santa comes."

"Good idea."

The ride finally stops and they get off. Charlie hands Cooper to Meredith.

"Did you enjoy that Kaylee?" Derek asks.

"Yes I did daddy but I'm hungry can I get something to eat and a drink."

"Sure sweetie. Let's go."

Derek takes the kids to get food and Meredith goes back to their chairs and starts feeding Cooper.

When Derek came back with Kaylee and Charlie, Cooper was close to being asleep. His eyes were closed and his drinking had slowed.

Kaylee and Charlie shared the same chair and ate their lunch. Meredith finished feeding him and he was fast asleep. Derek helped her lay him down in the pram and she covered him so he could sleep.

"Do you want anything?" Derek asks.

"No I'm fine."

"You sure I can get you something."

"I'm sure."

"Good."

"But I wouldn't mind going for a walk and sitting in the sun."

"Okay we can do that. Charlie will you be fine looking after Kaylee, we will take Cooper with us."

"Of course I will."

"Anyway I think they are going to be doing some of the novelty events soon."

"Are you going to race Kaylee?" Charlie asks.

"Yes."

Derek packed the chairs up and the girls went off. He helped Meredith with the pram and they went for a walk around. Stopping every few seconds to talk to a workmate.

When they headed back from their stroll 10 minutes later Derek's resident was there with his wife and new baby Jillian.

"Meredith this is Dr Roach my Resident." Derek says.

"Meredith it's nice to meet you finally. I her your becoming an intern next year?"

"Yes I am I'm so looking forward to it."

"Well its an amazing experience. This is my wife Tasha by the way."

"Hi." Meredith and Derek said at the same time."

"And this I Jillian."

"She's adorable." Meredith says.

"Thank you." Tasha says.

"Where's your two kids?"

"Well Cooper is here asleep and Kaylee is with her Aunty."

Jillian started crying.

"Oh we better be going." Dr Roach says. "Nice talking to you."

They grabbed two ice creams and sat on the wooden seats overlooking the oval.

"Look there's Kaylee. Ready to go." Derek points out.

They watch all the events with the kids from running, to egg and spoon races, sack races and all the others. Kaylee soon comes running over to them puffed.

"Look mummy and daddy, look at what I won." She says puffed.

"Wow, good work sweetie."

Then over the P.A system they hear "Time for all you men out here to have a go at the boot throwing completion. We have great prizes."

"Go on big guns show them what you have." Meredith says.

He sits there.

"Go on daddy."

"Okay fine."

He gets up heading towards the line.

"Come on girls we have to see this." Meredith says.

They walk over and stand behind him. Meredith leans on the pram trying to hide her smile.

"Woo go dad." Meredith says.

Derek turns around and shoots her a look before smiling. They watch him throw it. Not getting very far. Meredith claps and he walks back towards them.

"Great work Derek."

"Shut it. I would like to see you have a go."

"Well they don't have girls competing."

"Yeah so."

"Hey it's alright your still my big guns."

"Will you call me that tonight in bed?" He whispers.

"I'll see." She says.

"Okay now time for the daddy and kids piggy back race." Comes over the speakers.

"Come on Kaylee let's go." Derek says picking her up on his back.

Richard then comes over.

"Come on Charlie; let's see if we are better than Derek and Kaylee." He says.

They go and line up next to Derek and Kaylee. Charlie jumps on Richards back and they wait. The whistle soon blows and they are off. Meredith is laughing the whole time.

"God where is my camera when I need it." She says to herself.

Derek makes it over the line outrunning everyone by a few seconds. He spins around and comes towards Meredith.

"We won mummy."

"I know you did. You even beat poppy." She says as he just comes over the line.

Charlie jumps off his back and they walk to Meredith, Derek and Kaylee.

"God I'm getting to old to do this." He says.

"You should have given up a long time ago."

"I know. I'm going to sit here and take a few minutes."

The next race is the three legged race, kids first then the adults.

"Come on Meredith you're in this one." Derek says.

"Sure, who am I going with?"

"You can go with me." He says.

"Okay good. Go on girls you are first."

The race starts and the girls come in 2nd. Derek and Meredith are then up.

The whistle sounds and they are off. They run down the end and straight back up beating everyone. They had just made it over the finish line after they won and Meredith jumped up and down and made the two of them lose balance and fall to the ground. They just laid there laughing and soon got up and collected their prizes.

Richard had recovered and stood up.

"The Santa should be here soon." He says in a whisper. "And we better move away from here because this is where he is landing."

Everyone moves just in time as a helicopter flies over.

"Who's that Kaylee?" Derek asks.

She gets picked up by him for a better look.

"I don't know."

The helicopter then lands.

"It's Santa. Can we go and see him."

"Hang on sweetie."

Cooper started crying as well so Meredith took him out from the pram putting his hat and glasses on. The Santa had walked towards them. Stopping next to Richard.

"Hello Richard." He says.

"Hi Santa, I have some very special kids for you to meet."

He guides them over to Kaylee, Charlie and Cooper."

"This is my daughter Charlie and this is Kaylee and Cooper my two grandkids." He says.

Kaylee is a bit unsure at what to do.

"Do you want to give him a hug?" Derek asks.

She nods her head and then gives him a hug. Cooper throws his arms out to be carried by this new person. Meredith passes him off and the Santa holds him.

All these other kids had come up and talked to him with Cooper staying in his arms the whole time.

Derek pushed the pram for Meredith and Kaylee and Charlie ran inside to get a seat up the front.

After everyone was in the hall Cooper was passed back to Meredith and the Santa and Richard went up the front welcoming everyone.

They started with the babies and Cooper was one of the first.

"Baby Cooper Shepherd 5 months." They said through the microphone.

Derek took him up the front and they received his present and came back to Meredith.

"Open it now or wait?" She asks.

"We will open it now. He wants to open it." He says.

"Okay my boy let's see what you got."

Meredith opens the present and he got a fisher price walk and go.

"Well at least this will be used."

They waited for Kaylee and she got her present. Derek helped her carry the present and she opened it. Her face lit up. She was given a Barbie house and a new Barbie and Ken doll.

"Do you like it sweetie?"

"Yes mummy."

"That's good."

"Can we go home so I can play with it?"

"We are going to wait for Car then we can."

...

After the long day the kids were in bed.

"After telling me to put sunscreen on the kids you don't do it yourself." He says applying moisturiser to her shoulders and back.

"Shut up big guns." She says with a smile.

"Oh you called me big guns. I've been waiting for that all day." He says kissing her shoulders.

"I know you have been." She says turning around and lowering on his back.

"Why are you on top?" He asks.

"I'm sunburnt and I think that I deserve to big guns." She says kissing him.

**What'd you think? Please please please please let me know.**

**This chapter was inspired by what we do here in my town. Since my dad is a coal miner every week some money goes into a kitty and that money is usually of about 90 dollars and the Christmas party committee go out and by presents for kids up to 12 years of age and when you are from 12 to 16 you pick your own present from these selected stores. It's the best day to have free ice creams and rides.**

**Next chapter is Meredith and Derek's weekend away.**


	22. Best Weekend Ever

**Next chapter is up. It is Meredith and Derek's weekend away.**

**Enjoy**

That morning Meredith and Kaylee put up the Christmas tree. Cooper sat in his bouncer watching.

"So you and daddy get back on Sunday night don't you?"

"Yes we do."

"Will you miss us?"

"Of course. I miss you when you go to the crèche or when I am not with you at all."

"Me too mummy."

"Okay we just have to put the star on top and we are all finished."

"Can I put it on?"

"Sure sweetie."

Meredith lifts Kaylee and she puts the star on top and lowers her back to the ground.

"What do you think?"

"It's beautiful."

"I think so to." Meredith says. "Let's get your packing finished and that is something that I can cross off the list."

...

Opening the doors to the hotel room was breath taking. Their room was mixed up in the system and as a hotel complimentary they gave them a suit. Massive bedroom, bathroom, lounge/dining area.

"Oh my god I am in love with this room." She says falling onto the bed.

"I know. We even have a look over the water." He says looking out the window.

Meredith gets up and walks into the bathroom. A bath fit for a king is in there. It is massive along with a shower, toilet and sink. Derek comes in behind her.

"Oh something that we can both share." He says.

"Yes. We can."

He tries to take her shirt off but she stops him.

"Not now. I want to get some lunch and start shopping."

"Fine." He says.

"Keep that up and there will be no sharing."

"Okay let's go."

They had just enjoyed a lunch on the beach and then headed towards the shopping centre.

"God this is huge." Meredith says as Derek parks the car.

"I know. Hopefully we can have most of the shopping done here."

The two of them headed into the plaza hands entwined, like most people there age did. Most people without kids did.

"Which shop?" He asks.

"We need to have a look for a play set so any store."

Derek leads her in the direction of one store when she receives a message.

She reads it and starts laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"Look at your daughter." She says showing him the picture of Kaylee.

"Oh my, she definitely made a mess of that cooking didn't she?"

Kaylee was cooking with Alice and Amelia and happened to get most of the batter on herself rather than in the pan.

"Oh she must have been following you." He says.

She looks at him confused.

"It was a few years ago but you ,Charlie and Kaylee got into that huge batter fight. Covering the kitchen and yourself in it."

"Oh yes I remember that now."

They go off looking for the present.

After much searching they found a play set for the kids. They then went off looking for other presents for all the nieces, nephews and family.

They put the last bags into the back off the car as the centre was closing.

"I think we got most of the stuff for everyone else apart for the kids. We can get that tomorrow." She says.

"Yes we can. How about we get some dinner and go back to the hotel and relax."

"Maybe we can go and watch a movie. We haven't seen one since I was pregnant with Kaylee."

"Really? I didn't think it was that long."

"So can we go and watch a movie?"

"Of course my dear."

"Thank you. You're the best husband ever."

"I know I'm so happy that I can please my wife."

Meredith just smiles.

After arriving back at the hotel they both have showers and get ready. Derek is sitting watching TV when Meredith walks out.

His breath is taken away by what she is wearing. It isn't anything over the top; it is just plain and simple. A long maxi dress, a pair of sandals and her hair is pulled up. A way he has never seen it done before.

"So what do you think?" She says standing there.

"Just let me pick my jaw up off the ground and I will tell you." He says standing up and going over and kissing her. "You look stunning."

"Why thank you." She says taking the compliment. "Ready to go?" She asks.

"Sure am."

They collect their gear and leave. Walking down the hallway to the elevator.

After they left the elevator and were in the main lobby they looked at each other.

"Walk or car?" He asks.

"Let's walk." She says. "It's a beautiful night let's enjoy it."

He grabs onto her hand and they head down the street. Looking at the city lights that are starting to turn on illuminating the street. The lights reflect onto the water making the water look crystal like. Like stepping into it would break. The sun was setting in the distance and the moon was starting to show.

"It's so pretty." She says moving into his side.

He wraps his arm around her waist and kisses her temple.

"Sure is. I wish every single night in our lives are like this. Beautiful, warm and have a shining light always there." He says.

"I know."

They walk down the street and make it to the Italian restaurant. The waitress guides them to a table for two. They are handed menus and order drinks.

"Do you think we should give your mum a call check on the kids?" She asks.

"Sure. I want to hear Kaylee's voice."

Meredith pulls out her phone and dials Carolyn's number.

"Hello. Yeah we're both good. How are my two? That's good. Would I be able to talk to Kaylee? Thanks Carolyn."

Derek watches her and she puts the phone on speaker.

"_Kaylee someone is on the phone for you." They hear Carolyn say._

"_Hello?"_

"Hi Kaylee, its mummy and daddy."

"_Hi mummy and daddy. I miss you."_

"We miss you to." Derek says. "Are you behaving for nanna?"

"_I sure am."_

"How were your cupcakes?" Meredith asks.

"_We didn't get any. Amy, Ally and I got into a huge fight and we threw it everywhere and at each other."_

"Did you help nanna clean up?" Derek asks.

"_Well not really. Ally and Amy did. I tried to but I didn't know what to do."_

"Oh well that's alright. What's Coopie doing?" Meredith asks.

"_He has eaten and slept all day, and then commando crawled and slept."_

"So he has been behaving as well."

"_Yes mummy."_

"Okay we're going to go. Were about to have dinner."

"_Okay."_

"I love you Kaylee. Kiss Coopie for me." Meredith says.

"_I love you mummy."_

"And I love you to baby girl. We will talk tomorrow."

"_Bye daddy."_

"Bye sweetie. We will see you soon. We love you and take care of nanna and Coopie for me." Meredith says.

"_I will. Bye." She says hanging up._

Meredith hangs up as well. She has a tear falling from her eye. Derek leans over and wipes it away.

"You okay?" He asks.

"Yeah just moments like those I feel granted at being a mum and such a young mum as well; I miss her and Coopie so much."

"I know me to. I love being a dad as well. Best experience ever. Even though it costs so much money to be one. We don't have the security that some parents do but I don't care. Talking to Kaylee like that is the best moments in my life."

"I know. We should make this a tradition. Spending the weekend away to do the Christmas shopping. I know it makes us miss the kids but we do need time to ourselves. Having two young kids cuts that out."

"I know but it is usually for the best."

He just smiles and leans over and kisses her softly. They are soon interrupted by the waitress.

"Sorry but are you two ready to order?" She asks.

"Um we haven't even taken a look. We were busy talking to our daughter." Derek tells her.

"That's alright, I know family is important."

"It sure is." Meredith says smiling.

"Hold old is she?"

"4." Derek tells her. "And our son is 5 months."

The waitress just smiles.

"I have a boy who is 11 months. He is the love of my life. Very much a mummy's boy."

"Same with our boy. He loves his mummy, not sure how he is going to like it when I start my internship in July."

"You're becoming a doctor?"

"Sure am. Derek is an intern at the moment. Long hours but we manage."

"I'm like that. Being a waitress is long night hours luckily my fiancé loves him." She tells them. "Anyway are you ready to order because I could be here all night telling you about my son."

"Yeah I will get the fettuccini." Meredith says.

"And I will get the same."

"Okay that's no worries. Would you like any bread?"

"Um yes please." He tells her.

She takes the menus and leaves.

The dinner goes by they soon pay for their dinner and walk across to the movies. They buy their tickets and head to the theatre and get seats right up the back.

They had payed attention to the first half hour and soon gave up and act like 16 year olds. Giggling, making out and doing things that would get them kicked out.

After the movie they both stumbled out of the theatre.

"God that would have been one of the best nights I have had in a long time." She says.

"I know. It was so fun. Reminded me of when we were in high school and used to go to the movies and sit up the back and make out, or when we would sneak into the toilets or my car and have sex or do other naughty things." He says smiling. "I still wish we were 16 years old and went off to the movies and done things like what we did now."

"Well now we don't have to sneak around and we can go back to our room and act like the horny 16 year olds we used to be."

"Sounds good but let's make a stop at the corner shop and pick up a few things."

"Condoms?" She asks.

"Yeah cause if we do act like horny 16 year olds then we might end up pregnant like most 16 year olds and I know you don't want to be pregnant for a little while."

She just smiles and grabs his hand.

...

The next morning they wake both naked and in each other's arms.

Derek wakes pulling her close to his body kissing her collar bone. She sucks in a deep breath and soon wakens. Facing him and moving closer to him kissing his cheek.

"How does room service sound?" He says.

"Amazing."

"Well I will order us some then. What would my beautiful wife like?"

"I need something to fill the appetite I made last night so a cooked breakfast."

"Sure thing."

He leans over and dials room service.

20 minutes later their breakfast is brought to them.

They soon hop in the shower together and then get dressed and go to the shopping centre doing some more Christmas shopping.

"What do you want for Christmas?" He asks.

"I don't know and I don't care. Surprise me."

"Okay I will."

They soon head into the toy store looking for presents for Kaylee and Cooper.

When they are looking for a present for Cooper her phone goes off. She answers the message and sees that it is from Steph. It is her ultrasound picture. Meredith studies it and shows Derek.

"So she's having triplets. God that's going to be good."

"She will most likely have the kids when I start as an intern but because she is having triplets she will most likely have them early."

"That is going to be an experience isn't it?"

"Sure is." He says. "Oh look at this."

He says pointing out the toy train.

"Do you think Coopie will be a train lover or a car lover?" She asks.

"I don't know but I'm hoping he is into the cars."

"Of course you would sweetie." She says patting his cheek.

...

Later that night they had just had dinner and came back to the room for some alone time.

"I think I'm going to call Steph and then change into my pyjamas and watch some TV my feet are killing me." She says.

"Okay then you do that. I'm going to go and have a shower."

"But you had one this morning."

"I know but if we want to get going early in the morning then I will have one now."

"Okay. I'm going to call Steph."

She grabs her phone and goes out to the balcony to make the call.

Derek walks into the bathroom running water in the bathtub. He knew that she would be on the phone for at least 20 minutes so that gave him time. He grabbed the bottle of champagne from the fridge and put it in the bucket of ice with 2 glasses. Poured bubble bath into water and lit a few candles. He looked at the room and smiled. He had done a good job. He soon walked out to the balcony and heard Meredith wrapping up the conversation.

"Bye Steph, yeah I'll call you when we get home. Bye."

She hangs up the phone and Derek wraps his arms around her.

"I have a surprise for you." He whispers in her ear.

"You do?"

"Yeah but I'll have to cover your eyes."

"Okay but I hate surprises."

"Trust me you'll love this."

He covers her eyes and leads her to the bathroom, turning off the lights. He uncovers her eyes.

"This."

Her face drops in surprise and excitement.

"Thank you. I really had hoped we used the bath this weekend."

"You told me you wanted to relax and I know you never really get the chance to until I come home and watch the kids so this is something I wanted to do. So I have a bottle of bubbly chilling and all we need is you to get naked and get in the tub and relax."

"Why thank you." She says.

Derek places kisses along her shoulder and moving his hands to her front unbuttoning her shirt. Closing her eyes enjoying what Derek is doing to her. He pulls the shirt off over her shoulders. His hands moving smoothly and softly over her skin

Before she knows it Derek had stripped her naked and had put her in the hot water. She was in a state of mind. Doing nothing but relaxing and enjoying the quietness.

When she gets herself together she realises that Derek is in the tub with her filling the glasses with champagne and handing her one.

They had spent hours in the tub with each other talking, laughing and kissing. The water was soon cold when Derek pulled her out and ran the shower with hot water both of them showering together the collapsing to the base of the shower.

Both of them breathless and exhausted. Derek turned the water off and picked Meredith up and carried her to the bed.

...

That morning they woke with only 30 minutes spare until they had to check out. After their shower they had engaged in sex for hours on end into the early morning.

"Derek we have to get ready to leave." She says looking at the alarm.

"I don't want to. Can't we just stay here and have sex."

"No because we have to go home and see our kids and go to work and school." She says.

"Fine but you owe me."

"Why do I owe you I think I have owed you enough over this whole weekend?" She says moving into his lap and wrapping her arms around them

"I know I know but you love sex. Sex is like your food. If you don't eat in a couple of days then you eat more."

"You are one dirty man. From now on whenever I hear the word food I'm going to think about sex and all and being fed."

"Good because that is what I was planning."

"Well I have an idea about breakfast now that doesn't actually involve ordering it and waiting for it when it is right here."

...

After rushing out of the room in time for check out. They packed their bags into the boot.

"God we have bought a lot over the weekend." Meredith says looking at all the bags filling the back.

"I know. Let's get some food and we can hit the road for home."

Meredith just smiles.

"You're going use the word food for now on whenever you want sex."

"Most likely but what if someone else says it are you going to have sex with them?" He asks as they pull away.

"No I won't."

"Good."

"If I do then it's your fault."

After having breakfast they headed home. Derek kept teaser her about the word food.

"Derek if you keep this up then I will do something that will make you crash this car and we will most likely never see our kids again. Do you want that to happen?" She says.

"No."

"That's what I thought."

They were soon just half an hour out of town when they pulled down a road to the pound. They got out of the car and walked inside to the front desk. A lady was sitting behind there.

"Hi, how may I help both of you today?" She asks.

"Um we just wanted to come and see your dogs. We are looking for presents for our kids for Christmas." Derek says.

"Sure. I the dog area is just through these doors. It's labelled and if you need help then come back."

"Okay thank you." He says.

They walk through the doors the lady informed them and they headed down the hallway. They push open the double doors and hear the barks, the howls and the whimpers of dogs. The walk past the numerous dogs that are in cages.

"Which one do you think?" Derek asks.

"I don't know, I was thinking getting a puppy for them. It will be with them for a while."

"Okay." He says as they keep walking. "Here are some."

They look at the litter of pups with their mum. They are all labs.

"They are only 6 weeks old."

A man then walks behind them.

"Yeah they should be able to take home in a couple of weeks. When did you want the puppy for?"

"Christmas present for our kids."

"Well they need to be weaned and that should be either next week so they should be ready then."

"Which one do we choose?" She says.

"We can set all the puppies up in a room and you can play with them."

"That sounds like a good idea." Derek says.

They get led to the room and about 9 puppies are running around.

Meredith climbs into the pen along with Derek.

"Which one do we get? A boy or a girl?" She asks.

"Well we had a boy last time so how about a girl. It's only a suggestion."

"A good suggestion."

"Um we have 5 girls and 4 boys so take your pick."

They play with the puppies for a while. They pick out a female who has black fur with a white chest and white paws.

"She is the one." Meredith says.

The puppy is then put under their name for pick up in a couple of weeks. They soon then walk through the area with all the cats and find a kitten all alone.

"Derek look at him. He is all alone we have to get him."

"But we already are getting a dog do you think we can handle a cat?"

"I sure do."

Meredith looked at the ginger looking kitten. He had blue eyes, white coloured feet.

"Fine we will get him."

"Thank you." She says hugging him.

**Okay what'd you think? Let me know.**

**Next chapter is Christmas Eve with Meredith running into someone she hasn't seen for 4 years.**


	23. Christmas Eve

**Next Chapter is up. Christmas Eve.**

Meredith wakes to a kiss on her forehead.

"I'm going in early so I can leave early." He says kissing her forehead.

"What time is it?"

"5. I'm going now."

"Okay then. Remember to go to the pound and get the puppy and the kitten."

"I won't forget." He says kissing her. "I love you and I will see you tonight."

"I love you too."

Derek soon left and she closed her eyes to fall asleep.

She woke again an hour later. Cooper had woken for a feed. She took him out of the bassinet and carried him downstairs to feed him.

Inside her head she made a mental note at what needed to be done today for Christmas tomorrow.

Her list seemed like it had a million things on it.

She was waiting for Cooper to finish feeding.

"God you must be hungry today my little boy."

Kaylee soon wandered downstairs and sat next to Meredith. She had her teddy close to her body and snuggled into Meredith's side.

"Morning sweetie. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes mummy. Does Santa come tonight?"

"He sure does, you excited?"

"Yes I am."

"Good. Do you want to help me today?"

"Doing what?"

"Cooking, helping me wrap some of your cousins presents and the other ones for your relatives."

"Okay mummy I'll help. I'm going to get some breakfast." She says pushing herself up off the lounge and walking into the kitchen.

The past week she had become more dependent and started making her own breakfast and lunch. She made herself jam sandwiches for the crèche. She was separating away from Meredith doing things for her. She started brushing her teeth before Meredith or Derek told her to. She also was determined to read her own bedtime stories and put herself to bed with only a kiss and a hug goodnight before she took herself off to bed. Meredith was becoming proud of her doing this stuff before she was told and not being a baby anymore.

After feeding Cooper she headed into the kitchen with Cooper in the walker. Kaylee was sitting up at the bench eating her breakfast.

"I made you some breakfast mummy."

"Oh thanks sweetie."

Meredith started eating the bowl of cereal and wrote out the list of things that needed to be done today.

"Okay we have our list for the day. Whenever you're ready we can start." She says to Kaylee.

"Can I read the list?"

She hands the list over to Kaylee and she starts reading it.

"I think you can start the washing and I will get dressed and dress Coopie for you." She says.

Talking like that reminded her of Derek. Talkative and so fluent in her English.

"You don't know how to change Coopie."

"I've seen you change him a billion times mummy. Why can't I change him?"

"You leave baby stuff to mummy okay. You can do the kid stuff for a while."

"But I want to help you mummy."

"You can help me by being a kid and the only worries in world are if you get lots of presents tomorrow morning, or if you get to eat lollies in the morning or if you get to play at the park. That is all I want you to worry about. Okay?"

"Okay." She says.

"Come give me a hug."

Kaylee jumps into Meredith's arms and gives her a hug. She sets her back on the floor.

"Now go and get dressed and we can go shopping and pick up some supplies."

Kaylee disappeared upstairs and Meredith went and got changed herself and came back downstairs changing Cooper and packing a bag to go shopping with.

Kaylee then wandered in.

"Ready?" Meredith asks.

"Yes I am."

"Okay, question do you remember where I put the carrier?"

"You left it in the car inside the pram."

"Okay that's good because it is going to be busy there and I want you to be in the trolley when we shop."

"Okay."

"I have everything, my keys, phone and wallet. So let's get going."

She picked Cooper up, grabbed the bag and they left the house. She buckled Cooper in first and then went to buckle Kaylee's seatbelt but she already did it for her.

She drove to the shops. Cooper had fallen asleep on the trip there. Kaylee chatted away just like Derek did.

They arrived at the store, there was mayhem everywhere. Meredith got out of the car and grabbed the carrier from the pram.

"Sweetie I think I will put you in the pram, there might not being any trolleys."

She opened the pram helping Kaylee in there and then transferred Cooper into the carrier. She headed inside grabbing a basket.

"Okay I guess we get what we can get." Meredith says to Kaylee.

They dart the numerous people doing last minute Christmas shopping. They manage to get everything on the list and go and line up.

"Hello Meredith." She hears from behind her.

She turns around and sees a face that she didn't want to see. Her father and he wasn't alone.

"Hi Thatcher." She says.

"I haven't seen you in 4 years. How have you been?"

"Good, busy but good."

She starts unloading the groceries to be scanned.

"Well that's good. How is your daughter?"

"She is good. She's a lot older but she is good."

Meredith just wishes the conversation would end. She payed for her groceries and struggled to carry them.

"If you wait a minute I will help you."

"There is no need to."

"Yes there is."

She rolls her eyes and waits.

"Lexie could you grab a bag from Meredith and help her."

The young girl grabs a bag from her. She realises that this girl is her sister.

Thatcher grabs his bags and helps Meredith. They walk out to the car in an awkward silence.

"I'm here." She says leading them to her car.

She took Kaylee out and she climbed in and buckled herself in then took Cooper out of the carrier and buckled him into his seat he was now awake as well. Thatcher had packed the pram into the back and put the groceries in.

"Um thanks for the help. I better be going." She says. "We have a busy day tomorrow and I have kids to feed."

"Okay well it was nice seeing you again Meredith. It really was." He says looking down at his feet. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"You have another baby, what's his name?"

"Cooper. He is 5 and a half months."

"Meredith I know last time you said you didn't want anything to do with me but here is my number call me if you want to talk. I want to know you again and seeing Cooper and your daughter..."

"Kaylee."

"Well seeing them two they are family so I want to know them. Just think about it."

"Okay I will." She says pocketing the number.

"Come on Lex your mum is waiting for us." He says to the girl. "Merry Christmas for tomorrow."

"Same to you. Bye." She says climbing into the car and watching them walk away.

"Mummy who was that?"

"Just someone I knew."

"That girl that was with him looked like you."

"I didn't notice. Come on let's go home and start cooking."

They arrive home and Kaylee goes inside with the baby bag on her back. Meredith gets the groceries and takes them inside then comes back out and gets Cooper putting him in his walker.

"Okay Kay what do you want to make first."

"The cookies."

"That sounds good."

They make the cookies and put them in the oven.

After taking the cookies out Meredith starts getting things ready for lunch.

"How about some lunch sweetie?"

"Okay."

"What do you want?"

"Toasted sandwich."

"That sounds like a good idea. What type?"

"Cheese and tomato."

"Yummy. I'll make that now. Can you bring Coopie in here?"

She runs into the lounge room and Meredith makes the sandwiches and puts them in the sandwich maker.

"Here he is." She says bringing him into the kitchen.

"Thanks sweetie. What drink do you want?"

"Juice please."

Meredith pours Kaylee a drink and takes plates out for their sandwiches. She takes them out of the toaster and cuts them in four triangles for Kaylee.

"It's going to be hot so blow to cool it down."

Meredith cuts hers and sits down beside her and they enjoy their lunch.

Cooper was eating a fruit stick while they made the jelly.

"Coopie must not be tired mummy."

"Must be. He had slept all last night."

"Well he must be excited for Christmas then. He must want to sleep all day so he can see when Santa comes." Kaylee says.

"He must but I won't let that happen."

Kaylee smiles and they finish making the jelly.

"We have done that. Now we can wrap the presents and sit them under the tree for everyone else."

"Mummy why do we take presents to Braden and everyone else. I thought Santa did that."

"Braden and everyone else get their presents from Santa but the presents from Santa aren't from us. We take them presents because it's what families do. See Santa only brings presents for you and Coopie and they aren't from Braden."

"Don't forget he brings them for you as well." She says.

"He sure does and for daddy as well. Kaylee we also get presents for you as well. Most of them are from Santa but the others come from me and daddy."

"Really?"

"Yeah sweetie and remember how you picked a present out for daddy well that is like what me and daddy do for you and Coopie."

"It's Coopie's first Christmas."

"It sure is and I will tell you something we will have to get lots of photos of him."

"Did you get lots of photos of me and my first Christmas?"

"We got billions of them and a lot of videos as well."

"Can we watch them?"

"How about later tonight just before you go to bed."

"Don't forget mummy we have to leave milk and cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeers."

"I won't forget." She says. "Now go sit in the lounge room you can put the TV on and I will bring down the presents to be wrapped and the paper."

Kaylee goes into the lounge room turning the TV on and Meredith gets everything from upstairs. She brings a basket down with all the presents and the paper.

"Sweetie I forgot something?"

"What mummy?"

"I forgot to pick up the photos we had with Santa the other week."

"Oh no. What are we going to do?"

"Well daddy should be on break now so I will call him and ask if he can pick them up."

"Good idea. I'll wait here."

Meredith smiles as she walks away and calls Derek.

"Hi honey, are you busy?"

"_Um no why?"_

"Do you think you would be able to go down to the place where we got the photos of the kids with Santa?"

"_Yeah I can. I am finishing in half an hour so I can pick up the photos and the puppy and the kitten and supplies for them."_

"Thank you. I love you and remember to call me when you are home so I can take the kids upstairs."

"_I will. I love you too. See you in about 2 hours."_

"Okay, bye."

She hangs up and goes back into the lounge room.

"You're up my baby boy." She says bending down and picking him up from the rocker.

"Does daddy know to pick up the photos?"

"Yes he does." She tells her. "Sweetie I'm going to feed Cooper you can put a DVD on if you want."

"Okay mummy. I'm going to put the Polar Express on."

"Sounds like a good idea. I might bring Coopie in here so I can feed him."

Meredith had dragged the high chair into the lounge room and lowered it so he was perfectly in front of her. She fed him and cleaned him down before putting him in the swing and sitting down on the floor to wrap the presents.

"Do you need help mummy?" Kaylee asks.

"No you enjoy your movie." She tells her.

Meredith had wrapped all the presents for tomorrow except for the gifts for Kaylee and Cooper. She sat them all under the tree leaving minimal space for the other presents that would join them tomorrow. Derek's presents were also wrapped and under the tree except for one she left by his bedside for what they will open when the clock strikes 12 tonight.

She walked back downstairs and looked around everything was ready for tomorrow. She just had to wash up and do laundry.

After those little chores the house was looking reasonable. She then sat beside Kaylee on the lounge. Cooper was in his swing and was asleep. Meredith wrapped her arms around Kaylee and laid down watching the movie with her.

Her eyes started closing and she was soon asleep along with Kaylee.

...

"Meredith wake up." Derek says shaking her awake.

Kaylee was asleep on the other side of the lounge.

"What time is it?"

"Almost 6."

"We've been asleep for at least 2 and a half hours."

"You must be tired and so are the kids."

"Hmm have you brought the p-u-p-p-y and the k-i-t-t-e-n inside into the garage?"

"Yes I have. They are all snugly and have their beds and food and water. They also have their toilet areas."

"Good, did you get the photos?"

"Yes I did." He says handing the envelop over to her.

She takes the photos out and looks at them all.

"These are so good. I wish I took photos this good."

"Well it's just practice my dear. I'm going to go upstairs to the toilet and I will be back down to help start dinner."

"Thank you."

He disappeared upstairs carrying a bag with him. They were filled with Meredith's presents.

He left one on the bedside table of her side and the others he hid in the spare room to be carried down later tonight.

Meredith still had her eyes closed on the lounge just waiting for a few more minutes of sleep before the kids woke. Derek then came in and woke her.

"We better get Kaylee up because she won't sleep tonight." Derek says.

"Well she should even if she goes later but hopefully when we look at the Christmas lights it will tire her out."

"Hopefully. Now what do you want for dinner."

"Something not too big. We will be eating a lot tomorrow."

"I know. How about I make us some savoury crepes."

"That sounds yummy."

"I'll go and start them now."

He leaves from the lounge room to the kitchen. Meredith leans over Kaylee and kisses her forehead.

"Sweetie time to wake up."

Kaylee's blue eyes soon show.

"Did I fall asleep mummy?"

"Yeah you did. I thought I better wake you now because you won't sleep tonight."

"Okay."

"What do you want to do sweetie?"

"Can we watch home videos from the earliest ones you have."

"Sure sweetie." Meredith searches through. "The earliest one I have is of when I was pregnant with you and your daddy was being silly."

"Put that one on."

They spent ages watching the home videos. Cooper had woken and Meredith fed him. Dinner was ready and Derek brought it into the lounge room where they sat, ate and watched all the videos.

They watched up until Kaylee's second birthday when they turned the videos off and took the kids upstairs to bath. Kaylee dressed in Christmas pyjamas and Cooper was dressed in a Christmas onesie. They took them out to the car and strapped them in before going Christmas light looking.

Derek drove all over Seattle looking at the lights. They then dropped into Richards for supper. Derek carried Kaylee in and Meredith carried the sleeping Cooper inside.

"Hello everyone. How are we?" Richard said as he answered the door.

"We are good. We decided to drop in and see you and Kaylee wanted to see her poppy."

"Poppy we saw the Christmas lights."

"Did you like them?"

"Yeah they were so pretty. I wanted to stay and look at them all day." She says.

"Well we have some cookies inside and some milk Kaylee. Do you want one?"

"Yes."

"What do you say Kaylee?" Derek says.

"Please Poppy." She says.

"Anything for my little Kaylee."

Kaylee sat beside Charlie and Derek. Meredith sat on the other side with Cooper in her arms asleep.

"Dear you can go and lay him down. Your arms must be getting mighty sore."

"I'm fine Richard. If I put him down he will wake up."

"Car can we go and play?" Kaylee asks.

"Sure, come on I have something to show you." She says helping her off the chair.

After being there for over 2 hours Kaylee had fallen asleep. Derek carried her to the car and Richard kissed her forehead.

They arrived home close to 11. Putting the kids straight to bed. When Derek put Kaylee to bed she woke.

"Daddy we didn't put the milk and cookies and the carrot out for Santa."

"I will do that and you get some rest sweetheart. We have a big day tomorrow." He says kissing her forehead.

He left her room and found Meredith feeding Cooper in the nursery.

"He woke as soon as I laid him down." She says.

"Okay I'm going to go and put the things out for Santa."

"Sure, I still have to wrap the other presents."

"I'll start that you just relax."

"I will."

Derek put the things out for Santa and put Meredith's presents under the tree and started wrapping the kids presents. Cooper didn't need his presents wrapped but they knew Kaylee would pick up on in. Meredith soon joined him and they finished wrapping the presents and placed them under the tree just after 12.

They sat on the porch on the swing drinking tea and looking at all the lights still on in people's houses and the silhouettes of people moving around like made chooks.

"Merry Christmas." Derek says.

"Merry Christmas to you too." She says as she kisses him on the lips.

They spend half an hour outside and watch as the lights turn off in the street. They check the puppy and the kitten and they were asleep.

They walked up the stairs together and went to their room. Derek had drunk the milk and they shared the cookies. The carrot he broke off like he ate it.

Soon climbing into bed.

"Here in my gift for you." He says.

She takes it into her hands and unwraps it. It is only small but it is some perfume.

"Thank you." She says kissing him quickly. "And here is yours."

He takes it into his hand and unwraps it. It is some cologne.

"Oh great minds think alike." He says.

"We sure do."

"Now I think we should go to sleep because it will be an early start and a very long day." He says.

Derek switches both lights off and they climb under the sheets. He wraps his arms around her waist.

"Merry Christmas sweetie."

"You know Derek this is our first Christmas married."

"It sure is. I love you wifey."

"And I love you too."

**What'd you think? Let me know. **

**I introduced Thatcher again because he will make an appearance later on.**

**Next chapter is Christmas at Richard's then the next chapter is Christmas at the Shepherd's. **


	24. Christmas Morning

**Okay next chapter it is Christmas morning at home then lunch at Richard's.**

**Enjoy**

"He's been. His been." Meredith and Derek wake to that morning. "Quick quick come and see." She says jumping onto the bed.

"Who's been?" Derek says.

"Daddy you know."

"Know I don't know."

"Daddy stop being silly. Come and see." She says tugging his hand. "Come on mummy."

"Okay I guess we better see." Meredith says pulling the covers off and getting off the bed.

Cooper's cries soon come over the baby monitor.

"I'll get him." Meredith says. "And Derek you go downstairs with your daughter."

Derek gets off the bed and puts Kaylee onto his back. He carries her downstairs into the lounge room.

"See daddy Santa's been."

"I see now look at all these presents." He says lowering her down to the ground.

She runs straight over to open them.

"Hang on sweetie we need to wait for mummy and Coopie. Its Coopie's first Christmas. I don't think he would want to miss out."

Meredith soon came downstairs with Cooper on her hip.

"Now remember Kaylee we open one present each first." Meredith says. "Derek can you grab the camera and the video camera."

Derek sets the video camera up and then grabs the camera.

"Now who gets the first present?" Derek says.

"Coopie should because it's his first Christmas." Kaylee says.

"That's a good idea." Meredith says. "Grab one that says Coopie."

Kaylee finds a present with Cooper's name across it and then sits it in front of Cooper who is in Meredith's lap.

"Come on Coopie open the present." Kaylee says.

"I think he might need some help sweetie." Derek says.

"Me and mummy will help him."

They both tear away the paper. Inside is Charlie the caterpillar. He sings and helps learn the alphabet.

"Kaylee your turn." Derek says.

She grabs a present. Meredith takes the caterpillar out of the box and Cooper looks at it.

Kaylee rips away the paper to reveal a Barbie campervan.

"Do you like it?"

"Yes I do."

"Kaylee grab a present for daddy."

She hands him a present and he opens it. It is a new watch.

"Thank you." He says kissing Meredith. "Kaylee come here."

He whispers something in her ear and she goes over and grabs the present.

"This one?"

"Yes."

She hands it to Meredith and she unwraps it. Revealing a new digital S.L.R camera.

"Wow this is too expensive. You shouldn't have." She says.

"I did I saw you looking at them and knew you wanted one so I bought it."

"Thank you but I don't know how to use it."

"It's easy I got a demo."

"Well you better show me."

Cooper got a few more presents. A polar coaster, a sing and go choo-choo, a laugh and learn puppy and a jumperoo along with new clothes and some other toys.

Kaylee got a birthday Dora, a doll house, a medical kit, doodle pro, some clothes, DVD's and other bits and pieces.

Derek got given a new laptop, clothing, fishing gear and Meredith was given a new necklace, DVD's, photography books and other books, she also got clothes and another present Derek was giving her tonight.

"Okay Kaylee before you start playing with your toys we have something else we would like to show you." Meredith says. "So come on outside and we will show you."

They got up and walked to the back door. Derek followed them with the video camera and Meredith had Cooper at her hip. She pulled back the blinds and Kaylee's face grew a smile.

"Oh cool."

"Do you want to go and test it out?"

"Yes please."

She opened up the door for her and she ran out to the play set climbing all over it.

"Kaylee we will be out in a second. We are just going to grab something." Meredith says.

Derek and Meredith walk inside to the garage and find the kitten and puppy sitting there waiting. Meredith picks up the puppy and Derek picks up the kitten. They walk back outside.

"Hey Kaylee we have someone we would like you to meet."

Cooper was getting kisses from the puppy and was smiling. Kaylee came down the slide and Meredith set the puppy on the ground letting her meet Kaylee. Kaylee didn't know what to do as the puppy was kissing her.

"We got a puppy." She says.

"And a kitten." Derek says bringing over to her.

"Oh wow. What are they?"

"The puppy is a girl and this little fellow is a boy." Derek says.

"Can I name them?"

"You can choose one to name." Meredith says.

"The puppy."

"Do you know what you want to call her?" He asks.

"Um Peanut."

"Peanut, you sure cause it will be her name forever." Meredith tells her.

"Yeah I'm sure."

"Okay that is good. Do you want to bring Peanut inside and we can get her some food."

"Okay. Come on Peanut." Kaylee says. The puppy chases her inside and Meredith and Derek follow with Cooper and the kitten.

"What shall we name this little boy?" Derek asks.

"How about Sparrow."

"That suits."

"So we have Sparrow and Peanut. What a combination."

"I know. Let's get some breakfast made and we can get ready to go to Richard's."

"Sure and let Kaylee play with most of her toys."

"Yes and that too."

After getting inside they fed Peanut and Sparrow and Derek started breakfast while Meredith fed Cooper. She sat in the lounge room nursing him while she watched Kaylee play with her toys. Sparrow had made his way into the lounge room and was playing with the wrapping paper that filled the room, he would stalk it then run up to it, do a flip and catch it in his paws and put it in his mouth then run away. Meredith couldn't help but laugh at him. He soon stalked Kaylee and when she went to pat him he would roll on his back wanting his belly rubbed.

"Kaylee Sparrow must think he is a dog."

"I know. Sparrow you're not a dog you're a cat. You're supposed to eat and sleep all day."

She finished feeding Cooper putting him in the walker. She soon looked at her presents she got and opened the camera to have a play around with.

"Kaylee smile."

She took a photo of Kaylee.

"Can I look mummy?"

"Yeah sure."

...

After breakfast they cleaned the lounge room up with all the discarded paper and took their gifts out of the packaging and played around with them. Peanut had soon come up and laid down beside Meredith snuggling into her. Meredith picked her up and gave her a cuddle.

"Do you think we should bring Peanut with us today?" Meredith says to Derek.

"Yeah I think we should Sparrow should be fine but we will bring her with us."

"Okay I guess we better get a move on. Come on Kaylee time to get dressed and ready to go see Poppy."

She put down her campervan and Barbie's and ran upstairs to get changed. Meredith followed with Cooper who was on his stomach watching as Sparrow stalked him and at how Peanut licked him each time. She picked some clothes out for Kaylee then changed Cooper into another Christmas onesie and put a Christmas hat on his head.

"Oh you are adorable my little boy. I just need my camera and we will have a perfect photo for my locker next year." She kissed his cheek and took him downstairs to Derek.

"I'm going to have a shower be back in 10." She tells him kissing his cheek.

...

After packing the car they headed for Richard's. The car boot was full with presents, food, wine, beer, kid's toys, the pram and the baby bag which was full, the rocker and the portable high chair. Cooper sat in his seat with his Santa hat on his head. Kaylee sat in her booster seat holding onto her Barbie and Meredith was nursing Peanut.

They pulled up at Richard's. Meredith gave Peanut to Kaylee and she held the leash waiting for everyone to get out of the car. Meredith took Cooper out adjusting his hat and Derek grabbed the baby bag and the camera. They walked to the front door and knocked on it. Richard greeted them.

"Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas Poppy." Kaylee says hugging him.

"Oh what do we have here?" He asks.

"This is Peanut. She is mine and Coopie's present we also got Sparrow who is a kitten." She says.

"Wow. Charlie is inside waiting for you." He tells her.

She runs inside and kisses Meredith's cheek.

"Merry Christmas dear. Must I say Coopie you are looking like a cutie today?" He says. Cooper just smiles.

Derek then greets Richard and they head inside saying good morning to Jackson and Charlie who are playing with the new puppy.

"We need to take everything out of the boot and we will need a hand." Derek says setting the bag on the table.

"Okay I will come out and send Jackson." Richard says as they go outside to the car.

Meredith takes the camera out and goes into the lounge room taking photos of Kaylee, Charlie and Cooper.

"Did Derek buy you that?" Charlie asks.

"Yes he did. Very expensive camera which I wanted."

The men then come through the doors with the food, the wine, the presents and the beer. Along with the kids stuff. Jackson leaves the presents under the tree.

"Thanks Jacko. In one of the bags you brought in should be a jumper. You hang it from the ceiling and put the baby in to jump."

"Yeah I know what you're talking about."

"Can you get it out for me and I will put Coopie in there."

He hands it to her and she takes it out of the box hanging it from the top of the arch frame that connects to the lounge room, the kitchen and the dining room. She picks Cooper up and puts him in there. He is unsure what to do first.

"Jump my little boy." Meredith tells him.

He bends his leg and starts moving but gives up but tries again. Meredith gets some photos of him in there then goes and helps in the kitchen.

"What can I do?" She asks.

"The table needs to be set."

"I will do that."

They set the table with decorations, knife and forks, plates and everything else.

The kids were outside playing with Juno and Peanut. Derek had joined them as well.

Richard had just taken the meat out of the oven.

"Smells good Richard." Meredith says.

"Yeah well Jackson had to help me. We never had Christmas dinners. Your mother and I never made them. We spent our day at the hospital and would have the special from the cafeteria. We would never come home and see you kids and when we did get home it wasn't until late and dinner was finished, presents were unwrapped and the three of you were asleep on the lounge."

"Yeah I know. I showed Jackson how to cook every since he was young enough. I always had to cook dinner myself when I was old enough and I learnt off the top of my head and recipes so since I was 12 I cooked and when Jackson turned 8 I had him in the kitchen watching me. I'm not a brilliant cook but it made it feel like Christmas and just being together was all we needed even if it was just me and the other 2."

"I always look up to you Meredith. You are an inspiration. You have done everything since I can remember and you shouldn't have but you did. Even though you're not my real daughter I will love you like my biological daughter." He says kissing her temple.

"You're the best father that has actually stuck around in my 22 years of life."

"I know I was a distant dad never there."

"You were there more than my mother."

"Yeah I know. She did love you kids but she loved her job more."

"I have known that ever since I was able to understand."

"Meredith I know that you are starting your internship next year but I want you to be there for Kaylee and Cooper. Visit them every available hour you have. I will try and not have you rostered on many night shifts but that might be hard not to do in some cases but please don't leave Kaylee at home to look after Cooper."

"I want. Ever since I knew I was going to become a doctor and I had Kaylee I made a promise to myself that I would be there for her but now since we have Coopie as well I knew I would have to try extra harder to be there for them both and I will."

"Derek will as well. The both of you will make a decision that will work. I am always here as well and so is Jackson and Charlie. If you can't get them to day-care or preschool since Kaylee will be starting next year give Jackson a call or even me."

"But you are Chief and run the hospital."

"I can always have the kids sit in the office with me or leave for 10 minutes to drop them off. They are family and family is important."

"I know. I want to talk to you about something. I ran into someone yesterday. I haven't seen him for 4 years but before that it was 12 years. I saw my father."

"Really?"

"Yeah and he has another family. A wife and a daughter. He gave me a phone number to call him. Even though before I told him I wanted nothing to do with him. He gave me a number. Do you think that he wants to make an effort to know me or he wants something?"

"Well what did he say to you?"

"He handed me the number and said that he wanted to know me and Kaylee and Cooper and that they were his family."

"Well I know he wants to make and effort."

"But he left me."

"Yes he did. I was part at fault for that but he left because he wasn't in love with Ellis. He didn't want to leave you."

"But he did. I always think why didn't he take me but then I think now that growing up with Charlie and Jackson was so much funnier and I experienced having to grow up quicker and I knew how to be a mum."

"Yes that is something that has helped with your two."

"Do you think I should call him or not."

"Meredith it is your choice. If you want to know him again then call if not then don't. I will say this getting to know him would be good. You could hear his side of the story and maybe meet your other siblings and family. So you think about it."

"Okay I will."

"Have you told Derek?"

"No I totally forgot about it but I don't want to drag him into it not until I make a choice."

"Make sure you do tell him because this is something that could hurt your relationship. This choice affects him as well so think long and hard about it."

"I will."

"Okay lunch is ready. I will call everyone inside."

"I will get Coopie some food and feed him."

Everyone sat down for lunch. Talking about what they got for Christmas and what they were doing later.

Cooper sat at the table in his highchair and Meredith was feeding him.

"Is it good Coopie?" Kaylee asks.

He smiles he toothy smile and Meredith feeds him more.

"Now Mer you eat and I will finish feeding him." Derek says.

"Thank you."

Derek takes over while Meredith finishes eating.

"Dad are you going into work?" Charlie asks.

"No I don't have to unless I get paged."

"Good because this is our first Christmas with you since a long time."

"Yeah I know Car. It's going to be different from now on."

Jackson's and Charlie's face lights up.

After lunch they cleared away the plates and stacked them in the dishwasher.

"So should we do presents now or have dessert?" Richard asks.

"Maybe presents then dessert because I am full." Meredith says.

"Good idea. We can gather the kids in the lounge room and start."

They gathered all the kids in the lounge room.

Cooper was sitting with Meredith on the floor and Derek had the camera taking photos.

"Poppy you can be Santa." Kaylee says.

"Okay sweetie. Who should get first present?" He asks.

"Coopie should." Jackson says. "It's his first Christmas and he is a baby so anything to keep him interested."

Richard grabs a present for him and hands it to Meredith to open for Cooper. She opens the present and it is bath toys.

"Oh thank you. These will come in handy." Meredith says.

"That isn't all we got him but he can have them a little later." Jackson says.

Richard hands out the rest of the presents.

Kaylee got a new Barbie set and colouring books, crayons, Barbie clothes and some new clothes for herself.

Cooper got given more little toys, clothes, shoes, books and educational learning toys.

Derek was given tickets to go and see the speedway racing in the holidays with 2 extra tickets, a signed Yankees jersey and some other few bits and pieces.

Meredith got given camera accessories a camera bag, a tripod, flash, wide angle lens, a printer. She thought that was enough but they also spoilt her with a bracelet.

"Thank you so much." She says hugging and kissing Richard, Charlie and Jackson.

"It's no problem. Thank you for our gifts as well." He says.

"Well Meredith I think we could use your tripod for a family photo." Derek says.

"That is a good idea." She says.

They set the tripod up and the camera and organise everyone. Richard was up the back where Derek and Jackson were standing. Kaylee and Charlie were up the front and Meredith would slide into the middle with Cooper when she pressed the button for self timer. She done everything and went and stood in the centre and they got a family photo.

"That was a good one." She says.

"Okay time for dessert." Richard says.

They all sat down and enjoyed dessert. Cooper was asleep on the lounge.

An hour later they packed the car and left for their next destination.

They waved goodbye to everyone and left for the Shepherd house.

"Now let's go to the loud and noisy family dinner." Derek says as they pull in the driveway.

**What'd you think? Let me know. **

**Next chapter is Christmas at the Shepherd's house. The loud Christmas dinner.**


	25. It's Our Family Celebration

**Okay here is the next chapter from Christmas. **

**Hopefully you enjoy.**

Within seconds of pulling up at the Shepherd house everyone was outside greeting them. Cooper had woken and Meredith put his hat on his head.

"Merry Christmas." Was said to them every time they greeted a family member.

Meredith had Cooper in her arms and Kaylee had the puppy in hers. Everyone grab the things from the back and carried them inside, placing the food and drink in the kitchen, the presents under the Christmas tree and the toys were scattered everywhere. Alice and Amelia had Braden, Kaylee, twins Conner and Caitlin, Claire, Maddie and Lacey were outside playing with Peanut who was enjoying the attention and had started a Christmas hunt looking for Chocolates and lollies.

All the adults mingled in the kitchen. Cooper was being passed from one person to another receiving kisses and cuddles.

"He is looking very cute today Meredith." Nancy says.

"Why thank you. I was thinking the same thing but I think that he is cute every day."

"He sure is." Carolyn says.

John was holding him.

"His not so cute when he needs his nappy changed."

"Oh John you have 3 kids and had to do the smelly nappies."

"I know but I just don't think it's cute when it's not your own."

"Oh just shut up." Kathleen says laughing.

"I will."

"Come on sweetie let's you changed and fed."

She lays him on the floor in the lounge room and changes him.

"That's better." She says after changing him. Derek came in and took the dirty nappy and took it to the trash.

Meredith sat on the lounge and started feeding Cooper when Nancy came and sat down beside her.

"So has my brother been good and spoilt you this year."

"Yes he has. I got a new D.S.L.R camera that was 2 grand and some photography books, the necklace I'm wearing and a lot of other stuff."

"Well he has learnt well. What'd you get him?"

"A new laptop, a watch and stuff like that."

"What about the kids?"

"Well a kitten and puppy. A play set and a lot of other things like toys and clothes. We spoilt them a lot this year."

"That's good. We spoilt the twins and Maddie as well." She says. "And I mean we spoilt them a bit too much."

"Well that's okay, next year you will have one more person to spoil."

"Yes my little boy."

"Did you find out you were having a boy?"

"Yeah yesterday was my 16th week exam and we wanted to know this time and they said it's a boy."

"That's amazing. I wish it was a girl carrying on from Coopie but it's still amazing. I want to hug you but this little one has my arms full."

"How long are you going to keep breastfeeding?" Nancy asks.

"As long as I can. I love it. It is something that helps me bond with him better and it helps me relax."

"But it is going to be hard when you start your internship."

"Yeah it will be so I will most likely stop at 1 year. I will see how I go. I stopped feeding Kaylee when she was 12 months so I will wait and see."

"Well it's your choice. I didn't feed the twins for long it was too tiring. After 6 weeks I stopped, Maddie was for 6 weeks as well but this one I will hopefully feed for longer."

"I believe it's a mother's choice. Some can some can't it's just life."

"Sure is. I'm going to leave you to it and go and check on the kids."

"Okay."

Nancy leaves and Meredith continues feeding Cooper.

When she finished feeding Carolyn walked in.

"I guess we can open the presents. The kids have been waiting for a while now."

"That is a good idea."

They had brought all the kids into the lounge room. They decided the kids would be easier to open the presents first then they could go off.

Cooper once again got the first present from Carolyn and the girls. He got a trike and a cream teddy.

"God I think we could open up toys are us." Meredith says.

All the others opened their presents and them being toys. It was Kaylee's turn and from Carolyn she got given her very first tutu, leotard and jiffies.

"Wow Kaylee look at that." Meredith says. "What do you say to nanna and Alice and Amelia?"

"Thank you."

The other presents were soon passed out. Cooper got some more clothes, bath toys and toys. Kaylee was given some toys and stuff for preschool when she started the next year like a bag, a lunch box and drink bottle.

The kids ran off with their new toys outside and the adults started opening their presents. Cooper sat in the middle of the floor surrounded by paper.

"Okay Derek we have a present to give you and it is important so we are going to give it to you first." Carolyn says and hands him an envelope.

He opens it and reads the letter.

_Dear Derek_

_We have decided that because you use the land the most out of all of us and it was always your father's dream to give you the land on your 21__st__ birthday we are handing over the title in your name._

"Oh wow mum, thank you." He says hugging her.

"Because I forgot all about the land going to you on your 21st and only just earlier this year I read a letter from your father that stated this I had the name changed on the deed. So congratulations on your new property."

"That's okay. See Meredith we can build our dream home on here now." He says kissing her.

"Hey I don't want to stop you from your romantic time but your little boy has started to crawl." Kathleen says.

They turn around and watch him move around.

"Oh what a clever boy you are." Meredith says picking him up.

"God I guess now we are going to be on our feet watching him." Derek says.

They soon finished unwrapping the rest of the presents. Derek was given smaller gifts. Just CD's and books and money. Meredith got given a beauty pack, a pair of earrings and money.

"Thank you guys for the presents." Meredith said going around and kissing and hugging everyone.

"That's okay. I'm going to go and get everything ready." Carolyn says.

"I'll help you Ma." Nancy says.

Kathleen follows them as well. Meredith and Derek read over the letter but stop when they hear crying.

They both look up and see Kaylee running inside crying and straight to Meredith.

"What's wrong sweetie?" Meredith asks as she hugs her.

"She fell over and hurt her knee." Alice says.

"Oh that's okay; let's have a look shall we." Derek says.

Meredith picks her up and they carry her into the kitchen sitting her on the bench.

"Ready now you get to see daddy do his amazing doctor skills." Meredith says to her.

Her crying has stopped but the occasionally sniffle comes out. Derek comes over with a first aid kit.

"Now let's have a look at this sweetie." He says.

Derek looks at her leg.

"Oh that looks serious I think we might need to chop your leg off." He says.

Kaylee's face drops and everyone laughs.

"No don't chop my leg off daddy, please don't."

"Okay I won't. Oh this is easily fixed all we need is to clean it then we can put a bandaid on it." He tells her.

He cleans her leg and then places a bandaid on it.

"All better." He tells her.

"It's still sore."

"How about me and mummy kiss it better." He says.

She just nods her head. Derek kisses her knee and then Meredith kisses her knee.

"Better." Kaylee says.

"Okay since you were a brave girl how about a candy cane? Carolyn says.

"Yes please nanna."

Carolyn hands her a candy cane and Kaylee starts eating it.

"So how did this happen?" Meredith asks.

"We were playing with the ball and I tripped on the hard ground and hurt my knee."

"Oh that's okay. Do you want to know something?"

She nods her head.

"Coopie is crawling." Meredith tells her.

"Really?"

"Yeah he is so it won't be long until he is chasing you around."

"Yes."

"How about we go into the lounge room and set Cooper's trike up." Meredith asks.

"Okay mummy. Daddy can come and play as well."

Meredith picks her up and carries her to the lounge room. They grabbed the box for the trike and opened it. They took the trike out of the box and set it up.

"Where is Cooper, we need him to try it out." Meredith says.

She gets up and goes looking for him, she finds him in the office.

"Oh look at you. We are going to have to keep an eye on you." Meredith says picking him up and carrying him to the lounge room. "We are going to have to keep an eye on him tonight Derek."

She puts him on the trike and he looks around at everyone. Derek grabs the camera and takes a photo of him.

"Make sure we get a group photo of everyone." Meredith says.

"Yes we will. We will have to get a photo of all the kids though."

"Yes we will have to."

All the kids soon came inside asking for drinks. Peanut came running straight to Kaylee, licking her. Kaylee was laughing the whole time.

"Okay Peanut that's enough. I think it is dinner time for you." Derek says picking him up and taking him to go and get fed.

"I think we should get a photo with all the kids now." Meredith says.

All 7 kids and Cooper followed Meredith outside. She got them to sit on the step outside. Kaylee sat in front holding Cooper and Claire, Lacey and Maddie sat beside her. Conner, Caitlin and Braden sat behind them. All the kids had Christmas hats on and other Christmas gear on.

"Ready say Christmas."

"Christmas." All the kids say.

Meredith looks at the photo.

"Oh Coopie and Lacey weren't looking. One more."

She gets Cooper's attention by making silly noises. He smiles and she gets a photo of them again.

"That one was better." She says.

"Can we look Mer.?" Braden asks.

"Sure."

She walks forward and shows them the photo.

"Do you like it?"

"Yes."

"Good, now I think its dinner time." She says picking Cooper from Kaylee's arms.

All the kids run inside and Meredith follows.

"Ah just in time kids. Go sit up at the table. Dinner is ready."

The kids sit at their end and the adults get the kids food ready and hand it to them all. The kids tuck in and start eating while the adults get their food and start eating.

"Merry Christmas everyone." Tom says holding his glass up.

"Merry Christmas." They all say clinking their glasses between one another.

The conversation is casual with everyone talking about what they were doing for the rest of the holidays.

"Mummy I'm finished." All the kids say at the same time.

"Okay go and play."

The kids climb off the chairs and go and play with their toys.

"Oh before we forget, Claire's birthday is in 4 days and we are having a party for her. It would be good if you could all make it." Kathleen says.

"I will see if I can. I know I am working that day and if I have too many days off they will most likely fire me." Derek says.

"Okay you are excused."

"Where are you having it?" Asks Meredith.

"We are having it at McDonalds. We are having a McDonald's party."

"Okay sounds like a good idea."

"We will send details around later about time and stuff."

Meredith gets up and goes and makes some dinner for Cooper and comes back and starts feeding him.

The night goes by with the kids singing Christmas songs and everyone enjoying dessert. They get a quick family photo before the kids all start falling asleep.

Meredith fed Cooper upstairs in Derek's old room. While everyone else got the kids settled for bed. Everyone was staying at Carolyn's house tonight. They had the kids in the spare room and put a DVD on for them and had them all in bed so for when they fell asleep.

Derek darted home quickly to get a change of clothes for him and Meredith and to check and feed the kitten and bring Peanut's bed over for her to sleep in.

When he got back Meredith was just putting Cooper down.

"Your back how's Sparrow?"

"He is good. I locked him in the laundry for the night and he has food and water."

"Did you get us some clothes?"

"Yes I did. In this bag."

"Okay because I didn't want to sleep in this tonight."

"Well I think you look sexy." He says. "You could sleep naked for all I care."

"Sounds like a good idea but I don't think so when we have eight kids under 5 in this house."

"Yeah good point." He says kissing her. "How about we join everyone downstairs."

They follow everyone downstairs and join them in the lounge room. Nancy had gone up to bed. Tom was sitting on the floor. Carolyn was in the arm chair, Kathleen and John were on the lounge beside on another and Meredith and Derek were sharing the other lounge chair. There was also a thing of crackers, dips and cheese in the middle.

"I think this was a great Christmas." Carolyn says.

"Yeah it really was. Cooper's first Christmas as well."

"Do you think he enjoyed it?" Kathleen asks.

"Well he is a 5 almost 6 month old kid. So I don't know."

"I think the kids all had fun and are having even more fun being with each other tonight. Hopefully Alice and Ally can keep them under control."

"They should be able to. They are all under 5 and exhausted. They have the easiest job in the world." Tom says.

"Yeah they do. Only if it was Christmas every day." Kathleen says.

"Yes what a great idea, we would never have any money." Derek says.

"Shut up."

"As much as I want to stay and listen to this argument I'm off to bed." Tom says.

"Same here." Carolyn says. "Stay up as long as you all like and I will see you all in the morning."

The two leave the room.

"How long do you think we have until the kids are all asleep?" Meredith says.

"I'll give it 20 minutes."

After 20 minutes everyone called it a night heading up to bed. It was quite late as well. They all checked the kids and they were asleep even Alice and Amelia. Derek switched the TV off and then came and joined Meredith in bed. She was changed and in bed. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek.

"Night Meredith."

"Night Derek."

**What'd you think? Let me know. **

**Next chapter is the day after. In Australia it's called Boxing Day. Everywhere else I don't know but hopefully you all enjoy it.**


	26. It Could Have Been Better

**Next chapter is up.**

Waking the next morning to the shrieks of joy from the kids.

"Hmm I wish they would stay in bed." Derek says.

"I know. Coopie will be up soon if they continue to scream."

"Yeah I know."

They then hear Cooper cry.

"And he is up." Meredith says getting up and grabbing Cooper. "Morning baby boy."

Meredith brings him into bed and has him in between her and Derek. Lying down for a while longer just the three of them.

...

After having breakfast they packed the car and left for home.

"Can we play on the play set when we get home?"

"Yes we can but after we unpack the car and tidy up downstairs." Meredith tells her.

"Okay."

They pull up in the driveway. Getting the kids out and unlocking the door. They bring all the presents and everything else inside. Meredith packs away the food and Derek and Kaylee clean up the lounge room.

"Okay sweetie can you carry your toys upstairs and we can sort them out."

After half an hour of cleaning up the house looked cleaner.

They sat out the back watching Kaylee play when Derek's pager went off.

"I have to go into work." He says putting his pager back on his pants.

"Oh okay."

He kisses her. "I'll be back soon. I promise."

"Kaylee come say goodbye to daddy."

She comes running over as fast as she can and hugs Derek goodbye. He soon leaves.

Cooper was asleep in the swing beside her. She sat reading one of her photography books.

"Hey mummy come play with me." Kaylee calls out.

She drops the book down and goes and chases after her. They play for over an hour when the doorbell rings.

"Let's go and see who that is."

"Can you piggy back me?"

"Sure." She bends down and Kaylee jumps onto her back and they walk inside and open the door.

"Sam." Kaylee says.

"Kaylee."

Kaylee jumps down from her back.

"Quick I gotta show you something." She says grabbing his hand and running outside.

"Hello Steph, Dan."

"Hi Meredith." Steph says. "We came over to bring some presents over to say Merry Christmas."

"Oh thank you. Come on in."

Steph, Dan and Zoe walk inside.

"Hey Zoe do you want to go and play with Kaylee and Sam." Meredith says.

She nods her head.

"Come on then."

She takes her outside to play with the kids.

"Tea or coffee."

"Tea." Steph says.

"Same for me."

Meredith starts making them tea.

"So how was your Christmas Meredith?"

"It was good. We had lunch at Richard's then went to Carolyn's for dinner and we stayed the night there with everyone else. Cooper started crawling as well. We had to chase him for most of the night."

"Where is Cooper and Derek?"

"Derek had to go into work and Coopie is asleep in his swing." Meredith tells them placing the cups in front of them. "How was yours?"

"Very good and quiet. We had everyone over for lunch and dinner. The kids played with each other and the adults talked. It was a good Christmas. I was exhausted by the end."

"Of course you would. You're carrying triplets. I was exhausted with just carrying one."

"I know."

"You're what only 14 weeks and you look exactly like I did when I was 20 weeks."

"Yes I know. The doctor is making me have regular checkups because it is a higher risk pregnancy. She wants to have checkups and monitor me early."

"Have you told work?"

"Yeah I'm going on part work in a couple of weeks. I will only work for 5 hours 3 days a week."

"Well you better take it easy because like your doctor said."

"Yes I know."

"Are you going to find out what you are having?"

"Yeah we will. So we can prepare."

"I'm really hoping they don't make a welcome when I'm on my honeymoon."

"Same. I need you there."

"What is the due date?"

"It's the 10th of July but will be earlier."

"Maybe they will share the same day as Cooper."

"They could."

"Or even Nancy. She is due in June."

"I remember you telling me."

"Mummy Coopie is up." Kaylee says running inside.

"Okay. I'll be back."

She gets Cooper from his swing and brings him back inside leaving him on her hip.

"God he is 6 months in a few days."

"I know. He is has grown so much. I want him to be my baby forever."

"Try explaining that to Derek." Dan says.

"Yeah that would be hard." She says. "Oh he will get over it." She tells them. "He will won't he. He will." She says to Cooper.

"What did Derek get you for Christmas?"

"A camera, clothes, a necklace, books and so much more."

"So he did spoil you?"

"Yes he did."

"What else did you get?"

"Camera accessories, money and just other bits and pieces."

"What did Derek get?"

"A laptop, fishing gear, a watch, clothes, money, other bits and pieces and Carolyn gave him the deed to the land. So it is under our name now."

"That is exciting are you going to build a house out there?"

"Yeah we will but not for a while I guess. Just wait a few years and when we want a bigger house."

"Well that is reasonable."

"Come on I have to show you Sparrow and Peanut."

Meredith picks Sparrow up and shows him to Steph and Dan.

"Oh he is so cute. Here let me hold him." Steph says.

"And Peanut should be out here somewhere."

She says as she takes them outside.

"Peanut, here girl."

"Seriously you called her Peanut."

"Kaylee named her."

Peanut then comes running over to them and runs straight into Meredith falling onto her bum. Meredith laughs and picks her up.

"Oh she is so cute. I want one." Steph says to Dan.

"Maybe for your birthday."

"Thank you."

Cooper starts getting unsettled.

"He wants to be fed. Come on little one."

She carries him inside with Peanut. She puts Cooper into the high chair and takes a jar of baby food out of the cupboard and starts feeding.

"Mummy, we're hungry." Kaylee says walking in with Zoe and Sam trailing behind.

"Okay well can you wait 10 minutes and I will make you something."

"Sure mummy."

"Go put a movie on."

"Okay. Come on." She says leaving with Zoe and Sam.

"She is becoming very mature and grownup isn't she."

"Yeah she is. Ever since last week she makes her own breakfast, gets herself to bed, makes her lunch and other things like that."

"Very mature."

"Yes she is. The day before yesterday I suggested lunch and she said she would make jam sandwiches for us."

"Oh that's so cute."

"Sure is. My little girl is growing up. Before long she will be finishing high school and off to uni."

"That just seems so weird and too far away."

"But time will fly."

"It sure will."

She finished feeding Cooper and started making lunch.

"Kaylee. Sam. Zoe. Come get lunch." Steph calls out.

The three walk in and sit down at the table and start eating.

...

After lunch Steph, Dan and the kids left. Meredith sat with Kaylee and they finished off the movie.

"Do you want to go for a walk to the park?" Meredith asks.

"Yes mummy. Can we bring Peanut and can I ride my bike?"

"Sure sweetie."

Kaylee ran off getting her shoes on. Meredith grabbed the leash and collar for Peanut.

"Come on Coopie were going for a walk." Meredith says picking him up.

Kaylee soon came running down the stairs.

"Have you got your hat?"

"Yes."

"Okay just let me pack a bag and we can go."

She got a bag packed. Put a hat on Cooper and put his sunnies on. They go out to the car and she takes the pram out from the back. Kaylee was on her bike and. She opens the pram and puts Cooper in. Meredith had Peanut walking beside her.

They soon set off.

"Kaylee be careful remember and don't go too far in front."

"I know mummy."

They walked to the park. Kaylee ran straight to the swing.

"Mummy can you push me."

"Yes sweetie."

She grabbed Cooper from the pram and tied Peanut to the pole. She placed Cooper in the swing and started pushing him and started pushing Kaylee. Both kids were smiling and laughing.

"Higher mummy." Kaylee says.

"I can't push you to high or you will go flying into the sky."

"That's silly mummy."

"Yeah I know." She said as she pushed her and Cooper.

"Okay Kaylee time to go home." Meredith said after they had spent a few hours at the park.

Cooper was asleep and the sun was starting to set.

Kaylee got on her bike and started riding. Meredith put Peanut in the basket and they walked home.

...

Derek was paged to the pit.

"What has happened?" He asked his resident.

"Two incoming 17 year olds, one is in a critical condition and the other is stable but needs urgent care."

"Dr Roach we also have a 24 year old coming in from the accident as well." Richard said as he joined them.

"Do they know what happened?"

"Head on collision. That's all we have been told."

The ambulances sirens were then heard in the distance. 3 ambulances pulled up. The critical one was brought in first.

"Lucas Bradley, 17, driver of the car. He is in a critical condition."

"Caleb Pollard, 17, passenger. He is stable, has a punctured lung, damage to his liver and broken ribs."

"And Melisa Donald. 24, driver of the other car. She has broken bones."

"Okay Shepherd, Sloan you're on the driver." Dr Roach said.

They got the gurney inside into trauma were they were met with other doctors.

They start working on Lucas.

"Okay let's take him up to the OR." Richard said after they got him stable.

15 minutes they had arrived home. Kaylee parked her bike in the garage and took Peanut inside for a drink. Meredith took Cooper out from the pram and carried him to the lounge room where she laid him down in the bouncer.

"What do you want for dinner sweetie?"

"I don't mind mummy."

"We can have leftovers."

While she reheated dinner she listened to the message from Derek.

"_HI Mer. Don't worry about dinner for me. I won't be home until late. Love you."_

"Is daddy going to have dinner with us?"

"Not tonight."

Kaylee's face dropped and her smile turned to a frown.

"But daddy has had dinner with us for the last few nights. Daddy's job is to save other people."

"I know mummy, I just wish he didn't have to work all the time."

"Me too."

She served dinner and Kaylee and her sat eating their dinner. After dinner Kaylee watched cartoons and Meredith fed Cooper and cleaned the dishes.

They had finished surgery on Lucas. He had died on the table. They had just gone out to inform the family.

"Do you know how Caleb is?" A woman asked coming over to Derek.

"I'm not sure miss. I can check if you want."

"No it's fine."

"Can I have my bath now?" Kaylee asked.

"Of course."

Kaylee sat in the bath playing with the toys. Meredith held Cooper and multitasked by helping Kaylee wash herself and washing Cooper.

She got the kids dressed and had them watching a movie.

Derek walked into Caleb's room a few hours later and found him awake.

"Hi Caleb. How are you?"

"Sore."

"I know that is expected."

"How's Lucas?"

Derek didn't want to answer. How could he explain that to Caleb? They had spent the day BMX riding and now one of them was dead.

She walked into the lounge room and found Kaylee asleep and Cooper still playing.

She carried Kaylee upstairs to bed and tucked her in. Kissing her forehead and leaving the room. She started feeding Cooper and he soon fell asleep. Both kids were asleep so she had a shower and headed to bed herself.

She fell asleep just after 10.

Derek walked through the front door at 1. The house was dark and silent. The light for the stairs was on. He trudged up the stairs quietly. He checked Kaylee, and then checked Cooper. He walked into the bedroom and saw the light still on but Meredith asleep. He changed from his clothes and threw them in the clothes basket and soon joined Meredith in bed.

"Your home."

"Yeah, go back to sleep."

"I will after you tell me what happened at work."

"Two 17 year olds came in after a car accident. The driver was in a critical condition when they rescued him from the wreckage. The other wasn't as bad as his friend. They arrived at the hospital I got assigned to Lucas, he was the driver. He was a mess. We got him into surgery and operated and he died soon after."

"Oh. What happened to his friend?"

"Caleb came out of surgery an hour after we finished. When I went down to the waiting room there were about 20 teenagers waiting. We told his family that he didn't make it. They were a mess. I was a mess as well. So were all of his friends. I went and sat by myself for an hour. I went and saw Caleb he was awake. I asked how he was and he said he was sore. He asked me about Lucas and I told him. He couldn't believe it."

"Oh poor kid. He goes off driving with his mate and he ends up dying."

"I know I was so upset. All of his classmates have lost a friend and the day after Christmas as well."

"It's so sad. You think life is great but a flick of a switch and it changes dramatically."

"It sure does." He says. "How was your day?"

"Alright, Steph and Dan came over. Then we went to the park and had dinner and the kids fell asleep."

"Sounds like a good day." He says yawning.

"It could have been better." She said referring to the boys.

**What'd you think let me know. **

**Next chapter I will have up is Claire's birthday party.**


	27. Sounds good to me

**Okay here is the next chapter. The snow made me feel relaxed so I uploaded this chapter.**

**Enjoy**

"Kaylee we're ready to go." Meredith called out. "Come on we don't want to be late for Claire's birthday."

"I'm coming mummy." Kaylee called out.

"Okay I have a bag packed for you Coopie." She says to her 6 month old. "My keys, purse, phone. We just need Kaylee and we are ready to go." She says to herself.

Kaylee comes running into the kitchen.

"Mummy look."

Meredith turns around and sees her 4 year old in her leotard, tutu and jiffies.

"You look pretty sweetie. Go and get changed and we can go."

"This is what I'm wearing."

"Sweetie that's for when you start ballet. You don't want to wear that today. You'll be running around and going on equipment. Go put some other clothes on."

"I want to wear this."

"Sweetie I don't have time for this. Come on."

"But mummy."

"Kaylee no. Go get changed."

She turns around and runs up the stairs and slams her bedroom door.

"We will be a little longer Coopie." Meredith says to Cooper.

Meredith waits a few minutes before climbing up the stairs.

"Kaylee." She said knocking on the door. "Can you let me in?"

There was no answer except for the sobs from behind the door.

"I'm coming in sweetie."

Meredith opened the door. Kaylee was lying on her bed with her back to Meredith. Her hands covering her face.

Meredith went to her draws and opened them looking for a nice outfit for her to wear. She pulled out a dress and tights for her.

"Come on sweetie. You want to see Claire don't you and all your other cousins."

"No." Meredith heard her say softly.

"Come on we don't have time for this."

"I don't want to go."

She was having no luck she had to think of another way to get her changed and ready.

"Why not."

"I don't want to say."

"You can tell me anything baby. What's wrong?"

Kaylee soon sat up and faced Meredith. She pushed her black curly hair away from her forehead. Her face was red from the crying.

"Why can't I wear this?"

"Because it's special."

"Why is it special?"

"Because it's for dancing and you are going to want something special to wear. You don't want to wear it today because it will get ruined." She says to her. "How about we get changed and go to the party. We can get you dressed in it and we can go see daddy at work and pop. I know he would want to see you in your outfit."

"Okay mummy."

"I will help you because we don't have much time."

She helped her change. Kaylee put her shoes on and Meredith packed the bag with the ballet stuff in. They got out to the car and headed to the party. She looked in the rear view mirror at Kaylee. She looked happier than before.

"How much longer until we will be there mummy?" She asked.

"Not long. About 10 minutes."

"Okay mummy."

"Guess how old Coopie is now?"

"I don't know. Is it his birthday?"

"No sweetie." She said laughing. "His 6 months old today. It's been 6 months since he was born 6 months ago. 6 months until he is a year old."

"His becoming a big boy."

"He sure is."

They pulled into the car park. She helped Kaylee out and held her hand as they moved to the other side of the car to get Cooper out. Meredith sat him on her hip and grabbed the bag and threw it over her shoulder. She grabbed Kaylee's hand and they walked across the road.

They walked into the party room. All the kids were there. Kaylee ran up and hugged Carolyn before kissing her aunties.

"Hi Meredith." Kathleen says walking over to her. "Cooper look at you."

"6 months now."

"I know come on were going to get lunch going."

"Okay."

She walked over towards all the kids.

"There is my Cooper." Carolyn says. "Come here my boy."

Carolyn takes Cooper into her arms.

"Mummy can we go and play?" Claire asks Kathleen.

"Sure."

The kids all get up and run out to play on the equipment.

"Oh Kath I left Claire's present at home, busy morning." She says.

"That's fine Mer. We always have them."

"What happened?" Nancy asks.

"She came downstairs in her tutu and I looked at her and said she looked pretty but to change so we could go. She said she wanted to wear this I said to change and she ran off. It took me a while to get her to change her mind."

"Oh that happens all the time with the girls." Nancy says.

"I'll tell you a story." Carolyn says. "When Derek was 2 all he wanted to do was wear his superman pyjamas. For 7 months straight he wore his pyjamas, they were winter pyjamas as well and he wore them most of the summer. I think a lot of people thought we were bad parents but it was what kept him happy I guess."

They all laugh.

"Oh god. Superman pyjamas?" Meredith asks. "No wonder he is always like that in bed."

"We did not need to hear that about our brother."

Meredith just smiles an embarrassing smile as everyone else laughs.

"Um I'm just going to go and get his pram. Will you be okay with him?" Meredith asks Carolyn.

"Meredith I will be fine."

"Yeah I know sorry, it's just habit."

"Meredith if you want to feed him why don't you just use a high chair." Kathleen says.

"He will probably go down for a sleep so I will get it for that reason."

Kaylee then came running in.

"Mummy I need to go to the toilet."

"Okay let's go."

Meredith grabbed her hand and walked her to the toilets. Meredith stood outside the stall as Kaylee went. The door to the stall then opened.

"Let's wash your hands and then you can go and play again."

She washed her hands and they walked back out. Kaylee ran back to the equipment.

"Meredith your phone rang."

"Who was it?"

"Don't know."

She picked her phone up and looked at the number. She redialled.

"Hi Charlie, what's wrong?"

"_Um Dad's at the hospital, Jackson is at work and I am all by myself. Can I come over?"_

"I'm at Claire's birthday party; I'll be there in 10 I guess."

"_Thank you Mer."_

"That's okay. Be ready. Bye Charlie."

Meredith hung the phone up.

"I'm going to go and get Charlie. She is at home by herself."

"Yeah sure go and get her." Carolyn says. "I will watch Coopie for you."

"Okay I'll disappear without Kaylee knowing I'm gone."

She picks her keys up and kisses Cooper goodbye.

She got in the car and started driving when she got another phone call.

"Hi Derek."

"_Hi Mer. What are you doing right now?"_

"Why?"

"_Well I have a break and I wanted to see you."_

"Well I'm going to pick up my baby sister then I'm heading back to Claire's party to feed my son. I'm hoping to be back before Kaylee notices I am gone."

"_What a pity. I had an on call room occupied but I guess that is out of the picture."_

"Yeah it is. Sorry sweetie if we were childless and didn't have so many things to do then I guess I would be there but we have kids and so many things to do. I will come and see you after the party. I love you."

"_I love you to. Message me before you are showing up so I can organise to meet you."_

"Okay I will. Bye Derek."

"_Bye sweetie. Love you."_

"I love you to."

She hung up the phone just as she pulled into the driveway. Charlie soon came running out and hopped into the car.

"Hi Car."

"Hi Mer. Thanks for picking me up."

"That's alright. I would rather have my baby sister with me then being home."

They arrived back to the party. They walked into the party room. She had the pram in her hands. As soon as she opened the door she heard the cries and realised that both Kaylee and Cooper were crying. She took Cooper into her arms and hugged him. Kaylee then came running over and hugged her legs.

"What's going on?" Meredith asks.

"Kaylee realised you were gone, she saw you walk to the car and it pull away. She broke into tears and we haven't been able to calm her." Kathleen says.

"And Coopie?"

"He saw Kaylee crying and he realised that you were gone so he started crying as well. We tried feeding him but he wouldn't stop."

"Okay, I can fix this." She sat down on one of the chairs and Kaylee hugged her.

Meredith also had Cooper in her arms and started feeding him. She fed him while calming down a crying Kaylee. When Kaylee had finished crying Cooper had fallen asleep.

"Ma could you get the pram for me."

Carolyn got the pram for Meredith.

"Thank you."

"Hey Kaylee we're going to have lunch now so how about we go and get the other kids then we can organise lunch." Carolyn says.

Kaylee looks at her mum.

"Go on. I'll be here."

Kaylee leaves with Carolyn and Meredith stands up and lays Cooper down in the pram.

"Did he sleep last night?" Nancy asks.

"Sort of. Derek got paged quite early. So an hour after he got paged Cooper woke and that was at 5.30 and he has been up since then but he had a rough night as well."

"He must be a tired boy then."

All the kids then came running inside and sat down at the table. Kathleen and Carolyn went and ordered lunch for all the kids.

After eating lunch the kids went straight back outside to the equipment and started playing again.

After another half hour they cut the cake and everyone started leaving.

"Come on Kaylee say goodbye to nanna and everyone else."

"Bye." She said hugging Carolyn and kissing her goodbye.

She hugged everyone else goodbye and they headed to the hospital to see Derek and Richard.

"Mummy can I change into my dance costume when we get to the hospital?"

"Yeah sweetie." She told her. "Charlie could you message Derek and tell him we will be there soon."

Charlie messaged Derek to let him know.

"What time does Jackson finish?"

"8."

"So you going to stay for dinner?"

"Yeah I guess. If dad isn't finished then I will. If that's okay."

"Yeah it is."

They pulled into the car park and Meredith helped Kaylee change into her ballet outfit.

"Okay daddy is going to meet us at the cafeteria."

"I will take her ahead."

"It's okay. We can go together. Just let me get Coopie out and we can go."

She carefully took the sleeping Cooper from his car seat. He stayed asleep the whole time. She grabbed the baby bag and hung it over her shoulder. Locking the car.

"Okay lets go."

She guided them carefully through the car park. She held Kaylee's hand and Kaylee held Charlie's. They walked through the busy hospital through to the cafeteria. In the back corner she saw Derek sitting.

"Go on." Meredith said to Kaylee.

"Daddy, daddy. Look at how pretty I am." She yelled.

Derek turned around and got up out of his seat and caught Kaylee in his arms as she jumped in them.

"Oh you look so pretty, just like a real ballerina."

"Thank you daddy. I'm going to become a ballerina."

"Are you just."

"Yeah if its fine with you."

"You can be anything you want."

"Thank you daddy."

Meredith and Charlie had soon joined them.

"Hi." He said kissing Meredith's lips.

"Hey. How's your day been?"

"Good. I'm just waiting on my patient. His just about to come out of surgery."

"Then why aren't you with him."

"Well I wasn't allowed in there and because he wasn't my patient first. I had to swap with Mark and do his post op."

"Sounds fun."

"Not really."

Meredith just smiled.

Derek kissed Cooper's forehead.

"How long has he been asleep for?"

"About 2 hours."

"You going to wake him?"

"Nope he needs his rest."

Meredith looked down at Cooper. 6 months ago he had no hair but now his hair is growing and is becoming darker like Derek's. His eyes were a mix between green and blue when he was born but they started turning blue like Derek's.

They sat down at the table.

"His looking more and more like you every day Derek."

"I know. I thought he was going to be bald for most of his infancy but it looks like that is changing."

"His going to look at lot like his sister."

Derek and Meredith both looked at Kaylee. Her and Charlie were over doing ballet moves. Kaylee's curly black hair dangling around her shoulders. Her sparkling blue eyes shining.

"She is a real Shepherd." Derek says.

"I think Cooper will be to."

"I hope so."

"They are growing up so quickly." She says. "Just look at Cooper he is 6 months already. Kaylee is 4. I don't want them to grow up."

"Me either but just think we have more kids to come and then the experiences they will bring and the experience of watching them grow up into whatever they want."

"I know."

He kissed her.

"I love you." He said.

"I love you too." She said.

"Did you have a hard morning?"

"A little hard. Kaylee wanted to go to the party in her tutu and I said no and she had a small tantrum. Then we went to the party and I left to pick Charlie up and I come back and both kids are screaming."

"Why?"

"Cooper was tired and Kaylee saw me leave and she started crying then Cooper joined in the crying. I'm not sure why she was crying. It wasn't a bad day but just a bit tiring with crying kids."

"Yeah I know how you feel."

They then heard crying. They both turned to see another kid crying.

"Good I thought it was one of ours again." Meredith says.

"The kid looks lost." Derek says.

He gets up and goes towards the little boy.

"Hi matey. Where's your parents."

"I lost them."

"Do they work here?"

"Yes. My mummy works in the x-ray place."

"And what's your mummy's name?"

"Mandy."

"Oh I know who she is. How about I take you to her. I'm sure she is looking for you to."

He nodded his head.

"I'll see you later." He says kissing Meredith goodbye.

"Okay. Can you say goodbye to Kaylee."

"Okay." He says. "Kaylee I'm going back to work now."

Kaylee ran over and kissed him goodbye. He kissed Cooper's head and left with the little boy.

"Come on girls we will go and see Richard and go home and start dinner."

"The girls ran over and they headed up to Richard's office. The girls knocked on the door.

"Come in." They heard.

They pushed open the door.

"Hi poppy." Kaylee said running towards him.

"Hi sweetie. How are you?"

"Good. I was at a party today."

"I know your mummy was telling me about it. Did you have fun?"

"Yeah I did. We had an ice cream cake."

"Oh that sounds nice. Charlie what are you doing here?"

"I picked her up. She was at home by herself so I thought that I would pick her up and bring her to the party."

"Okay I thought you walked here."

"No I didn't. It's too far."

"How are you Meredith?"

"I'm good."

"And the young man, worn out is he."

"Yeah he is."

Richard just laughed.

"No he had an early morning. He has been up since 5.30 this morning but it was a rough night as well."

"How long has he been sleeping for?"

"About 2 hours."

"He is having a good sleep. You're not going to wake him."

"I should but I'll let him sleep. When we get home he should wake up."

"What are you plans for tomorrow?"

"We are camping at the lake and having New year's there."

"Are the kids staying with you and Derek?"

"No, Carolyn has volunteered to watch them for us. We're not going to the lake until about 9.30. We can take the kids to watch the early fireworks then we will drop them at Carolyn's and head to the lake."

"It sounds wonderful."

"Um Chief."

Everyone turns to look at a doctor standing at the door.

"We have a situation in one of the OR's you better come now."

"I'm sorry but I have to go."

"That's fine we just wanted to show you Kaylee and we are off."

"Okay well I will see you all soon." He says kissing them all goodbye.

After he left they all left.

Heading home Kaylee had fallen asleep.

"Is it okay that Kaylee is asleep?"

"She's had a big day. She shouldn't be napping but like I said big day."

They arrived home.

"Can you get Coopie for me and I will get Kaylee."

Charlie took Cooper and he was awake as they walked inside. Kaylee leant her head against Meredith's shoulder. She was awake but groggy.

Meredith laid her down on the lounge and she soon fell asleep. Cooper was placed in his walked and he was chasing Charlie around.

After Charlie was dropped home Meredith came home and started bathing the kids. She dressed them both and Kaylee took herself off to bed after kissing Meredith goodnight. Cooper was having his last feed and Meredith had put him down to bed when Derek arrived home. He met Meredith in the lounge room where she was cleaning up.

"No need for that. You are going upstairs to take a bath and relax. I'm going to clean because that is all you have done for the past 6 months. You have cooked, cleaned, been a mother and dealt with everything else. So you are relaxing tonight and I am doing the housework."

"Well I have done most of it."

"So I am joining you in the bath."

"Sounds good to me." She says with a smile.

**So what'd you think let me know. Next chapter will be New Years at the lake.**


	28. I'll Be Back Before You Even Wake Up

**Here is the next chapter. Hopefully you enjoy.**

"Derek can you come in here please." Meredith called to Derek from the lounge room.

"Yeah." He said.

"Um can you take Cooper from me please? I can't move."

"What do you mean?" He says picking Cooper from her arms and laying him down in the cradle. "What have you done to yourself?"

"My back is so sore. I think last night when we were in bed I hurt it."

"But we didn't do anything that strenuous. It was just ordinary missionary position." He says.

"I know. It was either that or this morning when I went running with Cooper."

"Maybe it was that." He says. "Let me try and help stop it hurting."

He climbs in behind her and starts rubbing her back.

"A little to the right."

"Here."

"Just down a little."

"There."

"Yes."

He stays like that for 10 minutes rubbing her back.

"Mummy can you come here." Kaylee yells.

"Hang on sweetie. Daddy is going to come."

"Is that better?" He asks.

"Yes that is."

Derek climbs up off the lounge.

"We can skip tonight if you want."

"No I want to go. It will be good to go and meet up with everyone."

"Well we don't have to camp at the lake we can come back here. I have an early start."

"Well I don't mind. We can just wait and see. What time do you start?"

"12."

"Oh that's not early."

"It is if you drink for most of the night."

"Well I won't be. You can if you want."

"I won't drink too much."

"Okay good. Now can you go and see what Kaylee wants."

He leaves the room and Meredith lies down on the lounge. On her side and facing Cooper. His chest is rising and falling. She can also hear small noises coming from him. She smiles and closes her eyes.

"Mummy."

She opens her eyes and sees Kaylee.

"Yeah."

"What time are we going to the lake to see Sam?"

"Not for a few hours."

"Okay. Did daddy help you?"

"Yes. I wanted a drink and I couldn't open the bottle."

"Did you have a drink?"

"Yes."

"What'd you have?"

"Orange juice."

"Hmm that sounds very yummy."

"Do you want to watch a movie mummy?"

"A movie sounds like a good idea."

"Can I choose?"

"Yes you may."

She had chosen a movie and set it up. Coming and snuggling into Meredith. Meredith wrapped her arm around her waist pulling her close. The movie started and Kaylee settled. Derek soon joined in watching the movie laying behind Meredith.

...

"Mummy Coopie's up." Kaylee says taping her an hour later.

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Derek was still asleep behind her. She sat up causing him to wake. She got up off the lounge and moved over to the cradle. Cooper was wake. Kicking his legs and sucking his hand.

"Hello Coopie." She says bending down and picking him up. "Ow." She says as she picks him up.

"Your back still hurting?"

"Yeah it is."

"Here give him to me. I think you might have strained it. If it's still sore then you most have strained it but I don't know how jogging this morning would have hurt it." He takes Cooper from her.

"Its fine I just have to not do too much."

"No it's not just that. We're not going tonight."

"Yes we are. Don't be stupid. The kids can stay at Ma's tonight and you can rest."

"Derek stop fussing. I'm fine. We are still going to go."

"I don't want you to go." He says. "I want you to stay and rest so you don't hurt yourself even more."

"Derek." She says.

"Yes."

"I'll be fine. You don't have to be my doctor. When I was pregnant with the kids I always had sore backs. I will just put a heat pack on and I will be fine."

"Okay fine." He says kissing her cheek. "I'll get your heat pack ready."

"Thank you." She says moving to the lounge and lying down.

Kaylee had followed Derek into the kitchen.

"Daddy what's wrong with mummy."

"She has a sore back."

"Why?"

"She hurt it."

"How?"

"I'm not sure sweetie. It could have been this morning when she went running with Cooper."

"Will it get better?"

"Hopefully."

He had heated the heat pack up.

"Do you want to give this to mummy and the bottle of water?"

"Sure."

She left the room.

"Here you go mummy." Kaylee says.

She hands her the heat pack and some water.

"Thanks sweetie."

"Do you want anything else?"

"No I'm fine, thank you. Maybe you can help daddy feed Coopie."

"Okay mummy."

Kaylee walked into the kitchen were Derek was.

"Can I help you daddy?"

"Well I was going to get some food for Coopie. So you can help me feed him and then we can make some lunch."

"Okay."

Derek had fed Cooper and left him in the high chair as they made lunch.

"Go and give this to mummy and I will carry the rest in."

Kaylee walked into the lounge room with lunch and handed the plate to Meredith.

"Here you go mummy."

Derek followed with the other plates and glasses and sat them on the table.

"We are having a picnic but it's not really a picnic."

"It's close enough."

"We are missing one more thing."

He walked back with Cooper in his arms he sat him in the swing as they sat and ate lunch.

...

Derek sat beside the bath. Watching Kaylee and holding Cooper. Meredith sat beside the bath as well.

"Ready close your eyes Kaylee." Meredith said.

Kaylee closed her eyes and Meredith wet her hair. She started washing her hair.

"Okay close your eyes again Kaylee." She closed her eyes. "1, 2, 3 go."

She rinsed the shampoo out of her hair.

"Okay finished."

"Mummy I got some soap in my eyes." Kaylee says.

"Okay that's easily fixed. We just have to rinse it out."

She rinsed her eyes with water.

"Better."

Kaylee nodded her head.

"Okay Coopie just needs to be washed and we are ready to go." Meredith says. "Derek do you mind getting Coopie ready. I'll get Kaylee ready."

"Sure."

"Okay come on Kaylee we are all done."

Kaylee stood up and Meredith wrapped a towel around her and picked her up from the bath.

"Ouch." Meredith said.

"Meredith set Kaylee down. Your back is still sore."

"Derek I'm fine."

"Meredith."

"Fine."

She put Kaylee on the ground.

"Kaylee I'll meet you in your room."

Kaylee left heading down to her room.

"Were not going tonight." Derek says.

"Derek your being ridiculous."

"Meredith I'm serious. We can go for the kids but then we are coming home and you are resting."

"Derek."

"Meredith we aren't going to argue over this again. I don't want you hurting yourself even more."

"Okay fine."

Derek finished bathing Cooper.

"Can you get his towel?" He asks.

"Yeah sure."

Meredith grabbed his towel and Derek lifted him out of the tub and into the towel Meredith was holding. She wrapped the towel around him.

"I'll dress him. Can you dress Kaylee?" She asks.

He nodded his head.

She had Cooper on the change table and he had his nappy on. He wanted to play. He lifted his arms in the air and pulled Meredith's face down to his.

"You want to play don't you?"

He smiled. So she kissed his cheek and picked him up. She put him in the air and brought him back down kissing him. She repeated that a few times until her back started aching again.

"Okay boy you need to get dressed and we can go."

She finished dressing him and Derek walked in.

"I thought we were going to have to send a search party. It doesn't take that long to dress him."

"It does if he wants to play."

"Did you want to play instead of getting changed my little boy?" Derek coos to him. He smiles more.

"Okay your ready Coopie." Meredith says picking him up and handing him to Derek. "I'm going to go and get dressed."

"Okay."

20 minutes later they were ready to go to the lake for the fireworks.

They strapped the kids in and left for the lake.

"Mummy is Sam and Zoe going to be at the lake?"

"Yeah sweetie."

"Are Coopie and me staying at Nanna's."

"Not anymore. Daddy and I aren't going to stay at the lake with Cristina and everyone else. So we are going to come home with you."

"Okay mummy. Who else is coming?"

"Aunty Kath and Uncle John with the kids and Nancy and the kids. I'm pretty sure nanna is coming and Jackson, Jasmine and Charlie will be there."

"What about Poppy?"

"Maybe not."

"Okay."

Derek pulled up at the lake. There were kids everywhere. Along with a few jumping castles and a barbeque.

"Oh this is a good set up." Derek says.

"Sure is."

They get out of the car. Derek takes Kaylee out and Meredith takes Cooper. Derek grabs the bag from the back along with the deck chair. Meredith grabs Cooper's bag and they headed over to Steph and Dan.

"Hi guys." Meredith says.

"Hi Mer." Steph says. "Hi Derek."

"Hi."

"Steph where is Sam?"

"He is over playing on the jumping castle."

"Okay, thank you." She says running over to the jumping castle.

Derek set the chairs up and Meredith sat down letting out a sigh.

"What's wrong Mer?"

"I've hurt my back."

"How'd you do that?"

"I took Cooper jogging today and I think I hurt it that way."

"It wasn't you and Derek you know." Steph says.

Meredith looked at Derek and then back at Steph.

"No we ruled that out. It was just you know normal missionary." Meredith says.

"So you still could have hurt it that way."

"Yeah I'm just gonna say I hurt it jogging."

Steph just laughs.

"So how's the babies going. Your 15 weeks now aren't you?"

"Yeah I am."

"How are the babies going?"

"Well we went to the doctor yesterday and they confirmed that we are having triplets. We go on the 3rd for the 16th week scan and we are going to find out what we are having."

"What do you think you are having?"

"Well a boy and a girl and then either a boy or a girl."

"Sounds reasonable. You will have to email what you find out."

"I will."

"Derek can you get me something to eat cause I am starving and I am serious."

"Sure." He kissed her cheek and left.

"I'll join you." Dan says.

"I think something is wrong with you Mer."

"What could be wrong with me, I only have a sore back."

"Yeah I know but if it is still sore in a few days go and see the doctor."

"Okay, well Derek will most likely have me there tomorrow." She says smiling.

...

The night went by. Cooper was asleep in Meredith's arms. She had a blanket wrapped around her and Cooper.

"Kaylee the fireworks are starting soon." Derek says.

She runs over to Derek and he picks her up.

"They are going to be right over there." He says pointing across the water to the other side of the lake.

The fireworks soon started. Kaylee got more excited and kept saying wow and looked at the colours each time they exploded in the sky.

All the kids and their parents sat and watched the fireworks. All the younger kids were in their parents arms. The exploding was too loud for some of the younger kids and they covered their ears.

Meredith just sat there with Cooper in her arms. He screwed his face up with the fireworks going but stayed asleep. She smiled and held him closer to her body.

After ten minutes of fireworks they ended.

"Okay, time to go home sweetie." Derek says to Kaylee.

She yawns in response.

"And put you to bed."

He walks back over to where they had set up.

"You ready Mer."

"Yeah I am."

"Okay good because she is getting ready for bed."

Derek sat Kaylee on the ground. They packed up all the gear and said goodbye to everyone. Meredith put Cooper into his seat and buckled him in and Meredith helped Kaylee. Derek packed the car and left for home.

"God look at all this traffic. Some people are in for a busy night." Derek says.

"They sure are. I'm guessing that Jackson and Jasmine will be. They didn't show up today."

"They are 16 and have a lot of friends and opportunities to party. They are getting older so they go to parties."

"Even if they are illegal." She says.

Derek looks at her with a shocked face.

"What do you mean illegal?"

"Remember when we were in year 12 and those flyers went around year 10. They were illegal underground dance parties at this old warehouse."

"Yeah I do."

"Well Charlie told me yesterday that they were going to this dance party tonight."

"Do you think that it is the same type that they had 4 years ago?"

"Maybe. I hope not."

They arrived home. Both kids were fast asleep. Derek carried Kaylee upstairs to bed and changed her into her pyjamas. Meredith changed Cooper and put him to bed.

Walking out from the nursery Derek stopped her.

"So we have about 2 hours to kill before it is New Year's." He says. "Any ideas?"

"Well I do have an idea."

...

2 hours later Derek moved off of Meredith.

Both exhausted and their hearts racing. Meredith looked up at the clock.

"Happy New Years." She said.

"Happy New Years to you to." He says kissing her.

He moves away from her.

How's your back?"

"A little sore still."

"Well I can fix that." He says. "Roll onto your stomach."

She rolls over and he sits on her back and starts massaging it.

After 15 minutes his pager goes off.

He looks at it.

"Oh I have to go." He says.

"Oh I wish you didn't have to."

"Me either." He says getting up off the bed and getting dressed. "I'll be back before you even wake up."

He leans down and kisses her cheek and turns to leave.

"Is that all I get?" She asks.

He turns back around and kisses her longer and harder.

"Is that better?" He asks.

"Much."

"Okay I'll see you later."

He leaves the bedroom and leaves her.

She pulls the covers up over her body. He'll be back. She closes her eyes hoping he will be back before she wakes.

...

That morning she woke to Derek's arms around her. She smiled and closed her eyes falling asleep again.

**What'd you think let me know. **

**So next chapter is a heat wave and its just the adventures that Kaylee and Meredith get up too.**


	29. Mummy You Are Extraordinary

**Here is the next chapter. I have holidays so I have spare time to update.**

**Enjoy **

A week later Meredith woke to the sun shining. It was 6 o'clock and was already 5 degrees before the maximum temperature it was supposed to be today.

They had predicted a major heat wave for today and tomorrow. She rolled over to Derek. They didn't have blankets on their bodies due to the heat. She kissed his shoulder and climbed out of bed going into the bathroom to go to the toilet.

Derek woke to the flushing of the toilet. His body was sticky from the sweat. He sat up in bed as Meredith walked out.

"God it's so hot." He says.

"I know. What time are you going in today?"

"I'm not supposed to be going in but due to the heat I will most likely be paged in for all the idiots who collapse from exhaustion and dehydration."

"That will do it."

They saw the bedroom door opening. Kaylee walked in and jumped onto the bed.

"Morning Kaylee." Derek says.

"Morning daddy."

"Why are you up so early?"

"I couldn't sleep. It's hot."

"It sure is baby girl." Meredith says. "You don't have to wear your pyjamas if you are too hot. You can just go in your undies and a singlet because it is hot."

"Okay mummy. Can we go swimming today?"

"Yeah I think that that is a good idea."

"Daddy are you going to work?"

"I don't have to but I will most likely get paged sweetie."

"Okay."

"Hey Kaylee why don't you go and check Peanut's water and check Sparrow as well."

"Okay mummy."

She left the room. Meredith moved next to Derek. He wrapped his arm around her pulling her close to him.

"Oh Derek it's too hot to be near you."

"I know it is. I just wanted to have you with me."

"Yes but can we do it not hugging. Can't we do it sitting a meter away from each other?"

"Yes but then I won't be able to do this." He says kissing her.

His hands move over her sticky body. He takes her top off and picks her up carrying her to the bathroom.

Just before he started the shower, Cooper started crying and Derek's pager went off.

"Dammit." He says. They both dismount and tend to their callings.

Meredith goes and gets Cooper and Derek gets his pager. He walks into the nursery.

"I have to go. It isn't an emergency but they have paged me in." He says. "I'll see you tonight." He says kissing her cheek.

"Okay bye." She kisses his lips.

"Bye Coopie. Daddy will see you soon."

Cooper lies there and smiles and waves goodbye to him.

Derek leaves the room. She starts changing his nappy.

"Okay Coopie, let's take you downstairs and figure out what we are doing today."

She left him in just his nappy as they went downstairs. She put Cooper in the highchair.

"Kaylee do you want breakfast?" Meredith calls out.

She comes wandering into the kitchen.

"Mummy it's too hot."

"Well come here and I will fix that."

Kaylee walked over to her. She took her pyjama top off and her shorts and left her just in her undies.

"And we can grab a singlet and then you should be cooler."

She grabbed Kaylee a singlet and helped her put it on.

"There now what do you want for breakfast?"

"Can I have cereal?"

"Of course. Sit in your seat and I will get it for you."

She made cereal for Kaylee and handed her the bowl then made Cooper some breakfast.

She grabbed a bib, putting it on Cooper and she started feeding him.

"Mummy why can't Coopie have cereal?"

"Well it's too hard for him to chew since he doesn't have many teeth and foods like porridge is easy for them to eat."

"Well when will he start eating food like this."

"Not for a while yet. Maybe when he gets more teeth."

"So he wouldn't be able to eat my cereal."

"No and because he shouldn't drink cow's milk he wouldn't be able to eat it. The only milk he should have is breast milk or formula."

"Why?"

She had to think of an easy way to say this. "Because it helps his body develop. So he can talk, walk and stuff like that and make him big and strong."

"Oh okay. That's pretty cool."

"It sure is sweetie."

"I've finished mummy."

"Okay can you put your plate on the sink and I will wash it up."

She ran placing her bowl on the sink and then left the room.

She finished feeding Cooper. Cleaned him down then started breakfast for herself. Cooper stayed in his high chair playing with a toy. She finished breakfast and stacked the dishwasher with the plates from breakfast and took Cooper out of the highchair and sat him in his jumper.

"Okay Kaylee go get ready."

Meredith got herself ready and Cooper ready with clothes to go swimming in. Kaylee soon came downstairs and they headed to the indoor pool.

"It's probably going to be busy Kaylee."

"That's okay mummy."

She pulled into the parking lot at the indoor pool and there a lot of cars.

"Kaylee remember to stay with me." She said as she helped Kaylee out of the car.

She took Cooper from his seat and put him in the pram. Locking the car up they headed inside.

"Hi how are you today."

"Good thanks. Can I get an adult and I have two kids under 5."

"Under 5's get in for free."

"Okay that's good."

"Um that is just 4 dollars for you today."

She handed the money over and the lady opened one of the gates for her to get through.

"Stay by my side Kaylee."

Kaylee held onto the pram as they walked through the crowded pool to the change rooms.

She changed both the kids.

"Okay Kaylee I'm just going in here. Wait by the pram and I will be back out."

"Okay mummy."

Meredith walked into the change room. Kaylee stood beside the pram entertaining Cooper.

"Where's you mummy?" A lady asked Kaylee.

Kaylee didn't say anything.

"Are you lost?"

Kaylee shook her head.

"Come on I will take you to go and find her." The lady grabbed Kaylee's hand.

"No." Kaylee screamed.

Meredith opened the door to the change room.

"Is there a problem here?" Meredith asked. Kaylee ran over to Meredith hiding behind her.

"Yeah this little girl is lost."

"No she is my daughter."

"Oh. Well you shouldn't leave her alone. God you must have had bad parents. You leave your daughter alone. Anything could have happened to her. You should keep a better eye on your daughter."

Meredith picked Kaylee up.

"I didn't leave her alone. I was just in that change room. Nothing would have happened to her because she is mature enough to know what to do. If something did happen then she could call me. I'm not a bad parent. I'm a dam fine parent to my daughter and son."

"Well you left your daughter with your baby. You're not even supervising them."

"I was going to be 2 seconds. She can entertain her brother for that long. I think you had bad parents who taught you to stick your nose in other people's business."

"Well I don't think you should have become a parent at such a young age. So many of you have babies at young ages and think its fine to do whatever. It's not."

"Can you please leave us alone? You have no business interrupting my private life. So what I had my kids at a young age but that doesn't change the fact that I love them and I do care for them. I have done a good job at looking after them even if I was a teen. It makes you grow up and make better decisions."

"Well you didn't make a very good one today."

Cooper then started crying.

"Just shut up and leave me and my kids alone."

"Aren't you going to get your son or leave your 4 year old to do it?"

"Leave right now."

The lady turned around and left. Meredith's knees felt like jelly from yelling at her. She sat Kaylee down and took Cooper from the pram. His cries soon soothed.

"Okay Kaylee. I will be one more second. I only got half changed. Please if that lady comes in here again can you tell me?"

"Mummy I don't want to wait out there again."

"Okay well come in here. You can hold Coopie for me."

Meredith soon changed. She gathered her gear up. She took Cooper from Kaylee and they left the change room.

"Meredith." She heard.

She turned to see Cristina, Izzie, George and Alex.

"Hey." She says stopping.

"Izzie." Kaylee says running towards her.

Izzie picked her up and hugged her.

"Mummy went off at a lady." She told Izzie.

Everyone just looked at her.

"Do you want to know what happened?"

They all nodded their heads.

"I left Kaylee outside my change room to get changed with Cooper. This lady came up to Kaylee thinking she was lost and I heard Kaylee scream so I walked out and told her that she was my child and she went on about how bad a parent I am leaving my kid alone. I went off at her and she kept saying stuff. Cooper started crying and she said are you gonna get that or is your daughter. I got mad at her and told her to leave."

"Wow she must have said some pretty mean stuff." George says taking Cooper from the pram.

"She was an evil..." She said. "Kaylee cover her ears."

Kaylee covered her ears. "Bitch."

Izzie moved the hands from Kaylee's ears.

"Well she sounds like she was one. Let's go and find her and go off at her." Cristina says.

"No I don't want to get into any more trouble. I just want to go swimming and cool off."

"That is a good idea." Izzie says. "Come on Kaylee lets go."

Izzie took Kaylee and everyone else followed.

Meredith put Kaylee's floaties on and Izzie took her to the water. Alex helped with Cooper's floaty and they put him in there and went into the water.

"Kaylee be careful." Meredith said. "Don't go too far out."

"I won't mummy."

"I'll watch her Mer." Izzie said.

"Thank you."

Meredith held onto Cooper's floaty. They stood in the water talking.

"What did this lady look like?" Cristina asked.

"She looked like she was in her late 40's. Do you know how you can tell some people are mothers?"

They all just nodded their heads.

"Well she didn't look like on at all. She was really stuck up as well."

"Oh she is definitely not a mother." Alex says.

"She was a real bitch. She had no right saying that to me."

"Yeah we know."

"I was so tempted to hit her."

"Yeah but if you hit her you could have been charged."

"I know but at least that would have taught her a lesson."

Kaylee and Izzie then came back over.

"Mummy did you see how far I swam?"

"Yeah I did. Good job sweetie."

"Hey Mer look at Cooper." George says.

She looks at Cooper and he had fallen asleep in his floaty.

"Oh Coopie you are a funny boy." She said. "I'm gonna get out and get him wrapped in a towel and sit with him. You guys can stay here with Kaylee."

Meredith left the pool and walked over to where they had the pram. Grabbing a towel she wrapped him in it and sat down nursing him.

While she sat there she got a phone call.

"Hi Derek."

"_Hi Mer. How are you?"_

"Hot."

"_I know same here. Hey are you at home?"_

"No we came down to the pool to cool off."

"_Oh well that explains it. Anyway I just wanted to let you know that I am on call tonight but because everyone is on call I will be home."_

"Oh that's good. I have a story to tell you but I am going to wait until later."

"_Can't you tell me it now?"_

"No you will just have to wait."

"_Okay fine. I have to go now. I love you."_

"I love you to."

"_I'll see you tonight."_

"Yes you will. Bye."

She hung the phone up.

4 hours later they decided to leave for lunch and head home.

Later that night when the kids were in bed. Meredith sat on the back veranda. She had Sparrow asleep in her arms and Peanut was asleep on the chair with her to. She thought it would be cooler outside but it wasn't it was still hot and muggy and so sticky.

She heard the door open and she turned to see Derek walk out.

"Hi." He said.

"Hi."

He kissed her on the lips and sat himself on the chair.

"What'd you have to tell me?" He asked.

She explained to him about the pool and the lady.

"She seriously said that. What a psycho bitch. She had no right to say that."

"I know she didn't."

"If I was there I would have had a few words to her."

"Well I think after I told her to leave she left the whole place cause we stayed for 4 more hours and I didn't see her at all."

"Well if I was there then she would have had it coming to her."

Meredith just smiled.

"I missed you today." She said.

"Me too." He said. "Wanna pick up where we left it this morning?"

"I would love to and I am serious but it's just too hot and sticky touching another person."

"Well we could just do the cold shower thing."

"That's an idea." She said.

He picked her up and they walked inside. She put Sparrow on the lounge and Peanut laid in her bed in the lounge room.

...

The next morning Derek's pager went off again.

They weren't touching each other. They were as far away as they could be from each other. Derek slept in just his boxers and Meredith slept in her underwear and bra. No sheets covered their bodies.

"I have to go." He whispered in her ear.

He kissed her ear after telling her and then kissed her cheek. He walked into the bathroom and brushed his teeth before changing.

"I'll see you later tonight." He said after he walked back to the room.

She kissed him goodbye and he then left. She closed her eyes trying to sleep after the pretty restless sleep from the night before.

A few hours later she woke to meowing. She opened her eyes and saw Sparrow in front of her.

"You hungry boy? Give me a minute."

She got up and carried him downstairs filling his bowl up. She fed Peanut as well.

When she was in the kitchen having a drink Kaylee wandered in rubbing her eyes.

"Morning mummy."

"You're up."

Meredith bent down and hugged her and kissed her forehead.

"Do you want breakfast?"

"Yes please mummy."

"Okay well this morning I am giving you an ice block because it is too hot."

"Okay mummy."

"Rainbow paddle pop?" She asked.

"Yes please."

She took it out of the freezer and handed it to her. Kaylee sat eating her ice block and Meredith sat beside her eating one.

"What do you want to do today Kaylee?"

"Can we go to the pool again and maybe with Charlie and Jackson?"

"Well I will have to call them and see what they are doing today. Jackson could be busy working."

"That's okay because then Charlie can come and maybe even Jasmine."

"Okay I will call them but they might still be in bed. They have a habit of sleeping in for most of the day when they are teenagers."

Kaylee just looked at her confused.

"You'll understand in a few years."

"Okay." She replied with. "Mummy why did you yell at that lady yesterday?"

"Well she said some stuff that was very mean and you shouldn't say to people."

"She said that you shouldn't have become a parent at such a young age and that young parents think that they can do anything. What did she mean by that?"

Kaylee was very observant and asking a question like this blew her away.

"Okay I need an easy way to explain this."

"It doesn't have to be easy because I will understand."

"Okay well I was only 17 when I was pregnant with you. Most people don't fall pregnant until they are older and have finished high school, Uni and have gotten themselves a job and a house and are married. I was young when I fell pregnant with you. I hadn't finished high school yet. I hadn't been to uni or anything like that." She told Kaylee.

"I was a young parent. A pregnant teenager. You were conceived because your daddy and me weren't safe but that didn't matter because we have you." She smiled at Kaylee. "Many girls who were my age or younger do become pregnant and they think they can do whatever by not using discipline and things like that and let their kids wonder the streets. The lady thought that because I am a young parent that I can do anything and I let you kids do whatever for example when I left you outside the room I was getting changed in for that one second she thought that it was fine for me to leave you and Coopie alone."

"Oh so she thought that you were leaving us by ourselves and left me to look after Coopie." Kaylee replied with.

"Yes she did." Meredith said blown away from her answer.

"Mummy can you tell me about when I was a baby."

"Well do you remember me and daddy not living together?"

"Yeah I do mummy. Most of my early years I remember always just waking up to you and not daddy. And some mornings it would just be daddy and that lady he was marrying."

"Yeah well your daddy and I weren't together like most parents are. We did date but broke up and just lived together as friends with a baby. We dated again but that ended and we gave each other time that was when you were only a couple of months old. He soon started dating Addison and moved out. So it was just you, me, Charlie and Jackson for the next couple of years. I was upset at your daddy but pushed it aside so I could live day to day. The night of our birthday was the night Nanna Ellis died. Me and daddy had a lot to drink and we made Coopie that night."

"But wasn't daddy getting married?"

"Let me say this, never drink Kaylee."

"Okay mummy."

"Daddy was getting married in about 8 weeks. The day of the wedding I told him about being pregnant with Coopie. I guess Coopie got us back together. It wasn't perfect like it should have been but we did get back together. They say you should meet a guy, get married and have kids well we didn't do that."

"Are you happy?"

"Of course I am. Kaylee all I care for you to be in life is happy and healthy. I don't care if you get married first but fall in love with someone else. I don't care if you have a baby first. I will care if it is at 17 like me but you forget about that because you are my daughter, my life and I love you. The love part is all that should matter. Remember that I am proud of you and you will always be extraordinary no matter what you do. There is no being ordinary in this house, you hear me."

Kaylee nodded her head.

"You know I shouldn't have had this conversation to you because you are only 4 years old but you sound like a 15 year old." She said kissing her forehead.

"Mummy why did you say that there is no being ordinary in this house."

"Okay well your nanna Ellis used to call me ordinary all the time for no reason. She would always pick a fight with me if I got an A on an assignment or if I didn't have the kids in bed by a certain time. She got into a huge fight with me when she found out I was having you. She never said I was extraordinary but you always will be even if you don't get an A or if you miss the bus or if you do fall pregnant."

"Mummy you are extraordinary." Kaylee said.

Meredith felt like crying because her 4 year old said that to her. She just wrapped her arms around Kaylee.

"Thank you sweetie."

"Mummy I love you even if you did have a bad past or did bad things it doesn't matter because you are the best mummy in the world and I love you."

"I love you to baby."

"Can we just stay here and talk today instead of going to the pool. I like your stories mummy."

"Of course we can." She said smiling.

The two of them spent the day on the back porch with Cooper talking about Meredith's life. Kaylee listened like an adult would listen.

Later that night she had both kids in bed with her. Derek walked in the door.

"Hi." He said. "I see we have a crowd tonight."

"Yes we do."

He kissed her lips and then kissed Kaylee's and Cooper's heads. He changed his clothes and climbed into bed beside Kaylee.

"How was your day?" He asked.

"I sat talking to Kaylee about everything. She is a very smart girl. I explained to her that we were teenage parents. When she was a baby, how mum used to call me ordinary."

"That seems like a nice day."

"Tell you what she said to me."

"What'd she say?"

"That I was extraordinary and that she doesn't care that I had a bad past and made bad decisions, I am the best mummy in the world and she will always love me. She talked to me like she was an adult. She made me want to cry she is that smart."

"What'd she say?"

"She remembered what the lady at the pool said to me and I said I would explain it as easy as I could and she said to explain it to her as I was talking to someone older. She understood every word. She is going to be an incredibly smart girl. I also told her that people do the falling in love thing first, followed by marriage and kids but I said that she could do them in any order she wanted because we would love her no matter what she chose and what happened. I said if she did fall pregnant at 17 we would be upset but we would forgive her because she is our daughter and you love your kids no matter what."

"Hmm you sure do. We are going to have a very brainy kid."

"We are. She just amazed me at how she listened. I can't get over it."

Derek's snores filled the room alone with the noises coming from Kaylee and Cooper. Meredith smiled and turned the light off falling asleep with her family.

**What'd you think let me know. Next chapter will bring a bit of tension to Meredith and Derek's relationship. All because of one thing.**

**I'll try and have it up in a couple of days.**


	30. Why Didn't You Tell Me

**Next chapter to is. **

"So you still haven't told me what your New Year's resolution was going to be." Derek said making his coffee.

"Maybe because I don't have one."

"Come on you have to have one."

She was going through her bag. She found a piece of paper and opened it.

"_Meredith I know last time you said you didn't want anything to do with me but here is my number call me if you want to talk. I want to know you again and see Cooper and your daughter."_

"Meredith." Derek said.

"Sorry I was reading a note that I found."

"What was it about?"

"Nothing just a sheet from school. I think I have thought of a resolution."

"Okay."

"Forgiving people and reconciling with people I haven't talked to in a very long time."

"That's a good one." He said looking at his watch.

"Oh I have to go." He tells her standing up and kissing her cheek. He gathers all his gear. "I will see you later."

"Okay Derek. Bye."

He left the house saying goodbye to Kaylee and Cooper who were in the lounge room.

She fiddled with the piece of paper and decided that she would call him.

Typing the number into the phone her fingers were shaky. She waited for the line to pick up.

"_Hello."_ A female voice says on the other end.

"Hi is Thatcher home?"

"_Yeah I will just go and get him for you."_

"Thank you."

She waited for him to answer.

"_Hello."_

"Hi Thatcher, its Meredith. I found you number and part of my resolution is to forgive and reconcile with people and I thought that agreeing to meet up with you was a good idea. So I was wondering if I could meet up with you for coffee."

"_I never thought you would call. That sounds great. How does The Blue Bird cafe sound? In the main street."_

"Sounds good."

"_What time suits you?"_

"Anytime does. Maybe 11.30."

"_11.30 is good. I will see you then."_

"Okay bye Thatcher."

She hung up the phone and dialled Jasmine's number.

"Hi Jas I was wondering if you could do me a favour today."

"_Anything."_

"Could you babysit the kids for me? It will only be for an hour maybe 2 tops. I need to run an errand."

"_Of course I can. What time?"_

"11."

"_Okay I will be there. See you then."_

"Thank you Jas, see you soon."

She hung up and headed into the lounge room.

"Mummy has to go out for a little while and Jas is coming to babysit you." She told Kaylee.

"What time is she coming over?"

"At 11."

"It's 8 now isn't it?"

"Yes it is. How'd you know that?"

"Because daddy had to leave before 8 to go into work."

"And you remembered."

"I remember everything."

At 11 o'clock Meredith put Cooper to sleep in his crib after feeding him and went downstairs.

"Okay he is out and should be for a while. If he wakes there is some baby food in the cupboard. Kaylee you should be fine with her. Call me if anything happens."

"I will Mer." Jasmine says.

"Okay give me a kiss Kaylee and I will be off."

Kaylee kissed her goodbye and Meredith left.

She pulled up outside the coffee shop with 10 minutes to spare. She sat in her car waiting and freaking out. She talked to Cristina who told her to calm down and she will be fine. She pulled herself together and climbed out of the car walking into the coffee shop. She found Thatcher sitting there and walked towards the table.

"Thatcher."

He got up. "Meredith, so lovely to see you." He said.

He pulled the chair out for her and she sat down.

"Thank you."

They sat in silence for a while. The waitress had taken their orders.

"I had a feeling that you might have brought the kids." He says.

"No I left them with my brother's girlfriend. She is really good with kids."

"You have a brother?"

"And a sister. Jackson is 16 and Charlie is 10."

"My daughter Lexie is 16."

"Does she go to Seattle High?"

"Yes but she wouldn't be in year 10 this year she is in year 11. She skipped the 3rd grade."

"How'd she skip the 3rd grade?"

"Lexie is smart. She has a photographic memory and she is real smart."

"My daughter is like that. She can sit and talk to you and you think you are talking to a 15 year old. I think she had a photographic memory herself."

"What's her name?"

"Kaylee."

"When's her birthday?"

"1st of October."

"Same day as yours?"

"Yeah she shares the same day. She has a very amazing journey into the world."

"What happened? I want to know because I haven't seen you in that long I know that I need to get to know you again."

"We went out to my husband's land and had lunch and Charlie, Jackson and Derek went down to the river while I laid down and I went into labour 3 weeks early. Jackson helped deliver her."

"That is an amazing journey into the world."

"Yeah."

"You said you're married."

"Yeah I am. Have been since March last year. He is Kaylee and Cooper's dad. We had a rocky relationship but me falling pregnant with Cooper got us back together."

"What's he like?"

"Well he has 4 sisters. I have been his best friend since year 8. He has blue eyes, dark curly hair, he is very talkative a trait Kaylee got from him. He is amazing. Very kind to me."

"I will have to meet him one day. Does he know I'm talking to you today?"

"Yeah he does." She lied.

"That's good because something like this could be upsetting to him."

"Well he is very understanding. He is a busy man but he loves me and the kids."

"Where does he work?"

"His an intern at Seattle Grace. I'm applying there for when I finish med school."

"Your becoming a doctor as well."

"Yes I am. I could have been in Derek's year but I decided being a parent is better."

The waitress had placed the coffees on the table for them.

"What's your life been like?" She asks.

"Well once your mother and I split up I moved to the other side of Seattle. I moved into your uncle's house. I met my now wife at the supermarket and we started dating. We married and moved into a house together. We have two daughters. Lexie who is 15 and Molly who is 15 about to turn 16."

"You have 2 kids."

"Yeah I do."

"Do they know about me?"

"I told them about my marriage before and that I have a daughter. My daughter Lexie the day she saw you she asked if that was my daughter because you look a lot like my daughter Molly and I couldn't lie so I told her that you are my daughter."

"How'd she react?"

"She thought it was cool that she met you and has been asking me none stop if she could meet you."

"What are you daughters like?"

"Lexie is smart she is thinking of becoming a doctor. She is also very nice. Molly is more like me. She is sweet and caring and a good daughter."

"Well they both seem nice."

"Meredith you can meet them one day."

"Yeah well I will see how today goes."

"Okay but I really want to meet my grandkids. I want to be part of your life again Meredith and if that happens then I want you to meet my wife Susan and get back into contact with your family that you haven't see in god knows when."

"Well maybe tomorrow we can met again and go to the park. I will bring Cooper and Kaylee."

"That sounds nice. I will bring Lexie and Molly if you want."

"I don't mind."

"Okay well one day when Derek is free we would love to have you over for dinner and you can meet Susan. She has always talked about you. I remember about 4 years ago she came home and said that she ran into a girl who was pregnant and she started to talk to her and she told the girl that she would be privileged to have her as a daughter."

"That was me. A baby store. She started talking and said she would be privileged having me as a daughter. I spilt my life story to her."

"She said that the girl looked a lot like Molly in which you do."

"I do remember that a few days later I saw her again with 2 girls. Derek and Jackson said that they looked a lot like me and that they kept staring. I saw the lady and smiled at her and the boys asked who it was."

"Well that was Susan. She told me how she saw you and how she knew it was definitely you. She also told me about you being pregnant. I was over the moon. Even though I hadn't talked to you in so many years I was over the moon."

"I always thought you moved away."

"Nope stayed in Seattle."

"Did you leave because of mum having an affair with Richard?"

"Part of the reason. She said she wanted a divorce."

"Why didn't you stay and fight for us."

"I knew that I wasn't making your mother happy and Richard was. So I left to make it easier. I should have fought for you but I didn't. You would have had a better life."

"If that did happen then I don't think I would have met my brother and sister and I wouldn't have been there to look out for them. I think you can always wish for a better life but you have to think about what would happen if you did have this better life. I think I did have a good life. If you think about it I might not have had Kaylee or Cooper. I would have met Derek and I still might of had Kaylee but it could have been different."

"I see your point but I still should have fought for you."

They sat talking for the next hour. When Meredith's phone rang.

"I better take this, it could be about the kids."

She answers it.

"Hello. Yeah why. Jas what's wrong? Okay sure I will be 10 minutes. Okay bye." Meredith hung up the phone.

"Emergency."

"Kind of. Jasmine the babysitter got called home. So I better be going to let her go."

"Okay well I had a nice day today."

"Me too. I will call you later to organise another meeting."

"Sure Meredith."

She gathered her bag.

"Bye Thatcher."

"Bye Meredith."

She left the coffee shop and headed home. As she walked through the front door Kaylee greeted her.

Before Derek got home she called Richard and told him about seeing Thatcher. He told her to be careful and to tell Derek.

That night when Derek came home he walked into the lounge room. She was nursing Cooper.

"Hi." He said. "How was your day?"

"Good."

"What'd you do?"

"Stayed with the kids. We didn't do much." She lied.

"Sounds good."

"Yeah. His down for the night. I'm going to take him to bed and then I'm going to bed." She said.

She pushed passed him and went straight up the stairs.

Derek was left stunned.

"God that was weird."

...

A few days later Meredith received a phone call.

"Hi. Can you give us a second please." She said into the phone.

Derek was feeding Cooper and watched as she walked outside.

"Okay that's better."

"_What are you doing today?"_

"Nothing."

"_Well I was wandering if you want to meet up again. Go to the park with the kids."_

"Yeah sure. Can we make it after lunch? Maybe at 3."

"_3 sounds good. I will see you soon."_

"Yeah bye."

She hung up the phone and leant up against the railing exhaling. She needed to get Derek to do something so she could leave with the kids.

"Hi Jackson are you doing anything today?"

"_No, I'm free from work. Do you need me to drive over there because my car is having car troubles."_

"Perfect. Do you want Derek to come over and help?"

"_That would be nice."_

"I'll just go and ask him." She walked through into the kitchen. "Jackson wants to talk to you."

She hands the phone over to Derek.

"Hi Jackson."

"_I was wandering if you could come and help me fix my car. It's playing up."_

"It's my day off. I was going to spend it with Mer and the kids."

"Go Derek."

"But I can come and help. I'll be there at around 3."

"_Thank you."_

Derek hung up handing the phone back to Mer.

"What's wrong with you?" He asks.

"Nothing."

"You're up to something or you're not telling me anything."

"Derek I'm fine but I do need to go shopping. So I will go out when you are out."

"Do you want me to take the kids?"

"No its fine I can handle them."

"Okay then."

A few hours later Meredith left with the kids to the park before Derek did. She didn't write up a grocery list like she usually did and she didn't take the shopping bags like she did. He suspected her to be up to something.

"I thought we were going shopping mummy."

"No sweetie we are going to the park. We are going to meet someone but you can't tell daddy this okay."

"Why mummy. That's lying."

"Just say we went to the park."

"Okay."

They arrived at the park. She helped Kaylee out like usual and then took Cooper out. She carried him on her hip as they walked over to the park bench. She applied sunscreen to Kaylee and put her hat on her head and done the same to Cooper.

"Come on let's go for a swing."

She helped Kaylee into her swing and put Cooper into the baby swing. She started pushing both kids.

"Hold on tight Kaylee."

Cooper smiled and Kaylee's giggles escaped her mouth every few seconds.

"Oh Kaylee time to stop. Some people are here who I want you to meet."

She stopped pushing Kaylee and the swing finally came to a halt. She helped her off and took Cooper from his. She held Kaylee's hand as they walked towards Thatcher and the girls.

"Hi Thatcher."

"Meredith. Girls I would like to introduce you to your sister Meredith."

"Hi." Both of them said.

"Hi, it's very nice to meet you two." She said. "And these are your niece and nephew. Kaylee and Cooper."

The girls said hello to Kaylee.

"Kaylee this is Poppy Thatcher and this is your aunties. Lexie and Molly." She said bending down to Kaylee's level. "Say hi."

"Hi." She said shyly.

"How about you girls go and take Kaylee to play." Thatcher said.

"Come on Kaylee." Lexie said.

She looked up and Meredith for approval.

"Go on. I will be just over her." Meredith said pointing to a chair.

Kaylee took Lexie's hand as they went over to the equipment. Thatcher and Meredith took a seat.

"Where's Derek today?"

"Um he has the day off so he is helping my brother with his car."

"Okay, did you tell him you were coming to meet me?"

"I have a confession to make. I haven't told him about running into you. So he thinks that I am grocery shopping."

"Meredith why didn't you tell him."

"Because I don't want to, not just yet."

"You know that this could hurt him."

"Yeah I do."

"You have to tell him me coming back into your life and me meeting Kaylee and Cooper he might not have wanted me to. He could be hurt because you betrayed him."

"He'll understand."

"Meredith you can't just say that."

"I know Derek he will understand."

"I have a feeling that he won't."

"Can we please change the subject?"

"Fine. When do you go back to med school?"

"Not until the end of this month."

"When do you apply for you internship?"

"Not until the end of May."

"You applying for Seattle Grace."

"Yeah I am."

"You will most likely get in because of Richard."

"Richard he is my step father, he might have a say but I get good grades. I am coming the top of all my classes. I am a good worker and I will become a good doctor. So what if I get in because of Richard. It was bound to happen anyway." She says annoyed.

"I'm sorry if I have offended you."

"It's fine."

"Is Kaylee starting preschool."

"Yeah she is. She is going to go for the morning sessions 2 days a week and 1 afternoon session once a week."

"You know that me and Susan can pick her up and drop her off."

"It's fine. Carolyn will do that for us. When I start my internship she will pick her up and drop her at the crèche so we can go straight home if we have a late night."

"You and Derek have talked about it."

"Yeah well it's an important decision."

"More important than telling Derek."

"Okay this is important knowing where my daughter is. Don't you think that that is better than telling Derek?"

"Meredith this can change your life with me in it."

"I'm sure we will survive."

When Derek finished helping Jackson they sat inside and started talking.

"Where's Mer and the kids."

"She went out with them."

"Okay."

"When is Richard coming home? I need to speak with him."

"I'm not sure. What's the matter?"

"I need to know what it going on with Meredith."

"Oh okay. Why don't you go to the hospital to talk to him?"

"Yeah that's a good idea."

He left the house and headed to the hospital. He knocked on Richard's door.

"Come in."

He walked in and sat down.

"Do you know what is going on with Meredith?" Derek asks. "Because the last few days she has not told me where she has been or who is on the phone. I'm scared that she is cheating on me. Is she having an affair?"

Richard took off his glasses and sat them on the table. He let out a sigh.

"Derek she is not having an affair."

"Then what is going on with her. Today she said she was going out shopping and she didn't take shopping bags or a shopping list. She is up to something."

"She hasn't told you this." He says. "I told her to tell you."

"Tell me what."

"Okay last month, at Christmas she told me she ran into Thatcher the day before. She said he handed her a number after helping her with the groceries. A few days ago she met up with him. She had coffee with him. She called me and told me and said that they were going to meet up again and let him meet the kids and she was going to meet her sisters. I guess that is where she went today."

"She's been meeting her father."

"Yeah she has."

"She didn't even tell me about it."

"I told her to tell you."

"You didn't even tell me."

"It was not my right to tell you."

"She is unbelievable. She took the kids to meet him without telling me." He says angry.

"Derek calm down. Go home and talk to her."

"I will." He says angry. "I can't believe her. What a bitch."

"Derek don't say that about your wife and don't say that about my daughter."

"I'm going home."

He stumbled out of the door and down to the car park and drove home.

Meredith walked through the doors at 8 o'clock. She stopped off at Carolyn's upset and talked to her. Carolyn sent her home. Meredith had the kids fed and took them upstairs to bed. She came back down the stairs and walked into the kitchen. She flicked the light on and saw Derek sitting with his back to her.

"Hi." She said.

"You've been meeting your father. When were you going to tell me?" He said.

"I um. I don't know."

"Meredith." He said angry as he stood up and moved towards her.

She backed into the wall and could smell the alcohol on his breath.

**What'd you think? Let me know. The next chapter is a continue on from this one.**


	31. Don't shut me out

_She backed into the wall and could smell the alcohol on his breath._

"What is so wrong with not telling you? It's my decision isn't it?" She said. "Isn't it."

"It is your decision but it affects me. Maybe I didn't want my kids meeting your father. It's a decision that we need to make as husband and wife."

"Derek get away from me." She said pushing past him. "I went because I thought it would be good to get in touch with him but it wasn't. He gave me the same crap you're giving me right now."

He grabbed her hand and spun her towards him.

"Well maybe it was for the right reason. He was right you should have told me." He says angry.

She hated being in this situation. She wanted to make him less angry.

"Meredith I thought you were having a god dam affair and sneaking off and sleeping with someone. I had to ask Richard what was happening."

"You talked to Richard."

"Yeah."

"God why didn't you talk to me."

"Because you wouldn't say anything."

"I would so."

"Don't lie you stupid bitch."

Her palm came into contact with his cheek causing a cracking noise.

"Sleep on the lounge." She said turning and leaving. "And put an icepack on your cheek. I'm going upstairs."

She left and Derek put his hand to the cheek where she hit.

"I deserved that." He says.

She fell onto the bed crying.

He sat on the lounge with the icepack against his cheek.

After an hour they were still in the same position. She wiped the tears away from her face and went into the bathroom and splashed her face with cool water. She walked downstairs to the kitchen to get some water.

Derek was on the lounge when he saw her walk by. He got up and followed her.

When she turned around and shut the fridge she had been pinned up against the fridge. He started kissing her roughly and she kissed his back. He picked her up and carried her to the table where they engaged in a course of rough sex.

...

That morning Derek woke early. He snuck into the bedroom to get some clothes and left. He didn't kiss her goodbye. He watched her sleep for a little while before leaving the doorway. He stood in Kaylee's doorway for at least 10 minutes watching her sleep. He finally left the house without any of them noticing.

Meredith woke but Derek wasn't by her side. His side of the bed was made. She was confused and the night was such a blur.

She remembers being called a stupid bitch and then slapping him across the cheek. She stormed out of the room and went upstairs to cry. After crying she saw Derek and that's where the sex started. It was rough because both of them were angry. She didn't enjoy is as much as she usually does. It was fast but he kept coming back for more and where in different parts of the kitchen each time they started and where in different positions.

After the last round Derek got up and left her on the cold floor. She got herself dressed and went upstairs to her room where she fell asleep without him by her side. It was a lonely night without him.

She just lay down in bed not doing anything. She was depressed and annoyed at the fight. The fight might not have happened if she had just told him.

The noises in the background faded. Cooper's crying didn't get her up from bed. She just left him to cry.

Cristina knocked on the front door and there was no answer. She turned the knob of the front door and walked inside. She investigated the kitchen and saw it was empty. She heard the baby monitor and Cooper crying. She walked up the stairs and into the nursery. She saw Cooper lying down crying and turning red. She picked him up and soothed him. She walked into Meredith's bedroom.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? You have your 6 month old in his room almost suffocating from crying so much. You're 4 year old who will be up soon asking for breakfast. Who cares what happened you need to get over it and deal with your kids."

"Cristina." Meredith said.

"What."

She finally sat up and looked at her. Tears running down her face.

"What happened, I'll kill him. He got you pregnant didn't he? Where is he?"

"Do you think I would be crying if he got me pregnant?"

"True that. What happened?" She said sitting down beside her.

"We got into a fight. I mean a huge fight."

"Over what?"

"I've been seeing my father and I didn't tell him about it. Richard and dad said that I should tell him because it was a huge thing and we would need to talk about it but I didn't listen and just went on seeing him. Derek found out after asking Richard yesterday. I had an afternoon of saying things to Thatcher and I left and went to Carolyn's. I came home late and put the kids to bed and walked into the kitchen and Derek was sitting in the dark and was drinking. We got into a fight and he called me a stupid bitch so I slapped him and told him to sleep on the lounge. We spent an hour away from each other and I came downstairs and we had rough sex for a few hours and then we left and went out own way."

"I did not need to know that."

"Cristina."

"Okay fine. Give him time."

"Okay."

"Now you need to get up and do your job. Moping around in bed all day won't work. So get up."

Meredith finally got up out of bed. She took Cooper from Cristina.

"You gonna stay the day because I can use some company."

"Yeah sure it's not like I have anything else to do."

"Thank you. Do you want some breakfast?"

"If you're making it no. We should go out for breakfast."

"You haven't eaten breakfast here in a long time and I make amazing pancakes."

"Yeah we should still go out."

"Well Kaylee isn't up yet. We can wait for her and we can go. But while we wait I will feed Cooper."

"Okay then."

Derek had arrived at work earlier than usual. He arrived before pre rounds. He had breakfast in the cafeteria and then went and sat in the locker room. Mark soon arrived.

"Hey dude. How long have you been here for?"

"Since 4."

"Why?"

"Me and Mer got into a fight and I mean a huge one."

"What happened?"

"I thought she was having an affair."

"Wow dude."

"But that was ruled out, I went and talked to Richard and he told me that she has been in contact with her father. She has been silent for a few days and then I find out. She said it wasn't a huge deal but it is. I mean this affects our lives. She is letting her father back into her life after 17 years. She should have told me."

"I know."

"Then I called her a stupid bitch."

"Dude."

"I know she left me and went upstairs and I stayed downstairs. After an hour she came back downstairs and I followed her into the kitchen where we had sex for hours."

"I didn't need to know that."

"But the thing was it was rough and we aren't used to that. I don't know why either but we just did it for hours and didn't say a word. We were silent. The sex I don't know. I didn't enjoy it as much."

"Dude you need to go and apologise. Go get all her favourite things and go home and apologise."

"I will. I just need to give her time. She is needing her Cristina time."

"Okay dude."

...

They had just finished breakfast. Cooper was asleep over her should and Kaylee sat drawing.

"God you should have told him."

"I know that now. I didn't think he would take it to heart."

"Well you still should have told him."

"I know."

"Told him what mummy." Kaylee asked.

"Well do you know yesterday how you met pop and Lexie and Molly?" She said. Kaylee nodded her head. "Well I should have told daddy I was meeting him."

"Oh okay. Does daddy know?"

"Yeah he does."

"Is daddy mad at you?"

"Yeah he is."

"Okay." She said and went back to her colouring.

"How about we get going home. It's almost lunch time."

"Okay mummy."

Cristina helped Kaylee pack away her colouring. Meredith grabbed her bag and they left for the car. She put Cooper in his seat and helped Kaylee and they left for home. She let Kaylee go off and play while Cristina and Meredith sat in the kitchen talking.

Kaylee soon came in.

"Mummy can I tell you something?"

"You can tell me anything."

"Last night that I heard you and daddy yelling."

"You did."

"Yeah. I woke up when you put me to bed and when I heard you yelling I sat on the steps and heard you yelling. When I heard the door opening I ran upstairs to bed. Where I heard you crying."

"Did you fall asleep soon?"

"Yeah I did."

"Okay that's good. I was hoping that you weren't up all night. You need your sleep."

She soon left the kitchen.

Cristina just looked at her. "You're glad she didn't hear the two of you going at it or even walk into the kitchen."

"We weren't loud. It was silent. Very silent. It was like silent rage and the silent treatment."

"Even though you two were having sex. That doesn't count as silent treatment."

"Whatever. Sometimes I think about having kids early and how we missed out on doing the sex around the house thing without being caught."

"You know who cares. You had the kids first. You and Derek so what if you fight. It's the way life is."

"I know. I'm scared that Derek won't come home tonight."

"I'm sure he will."

The rest of the day went Cristina stayed with Meredith and the kids until it was their bath time. She left and left Meredith to bath the kids.

"Mummy is daddy going to come home tonight?"

"Yeah sweetie."

"Will you resolve your fighting?"

"Hopefully. It was silly. I should have told daddy but I didn't. I made a stupid mistake and your daddy hates me for it."

"I don't hate you mummy. Even if you make mistakes."

"I know sweetie. Ready close your eyes."

She closed her eyes and Meredith rinsed the shampoo from her hair.

"Why do parents fight?"

"Well parents fight. Just like best friends do. Sometimes something happens like something gets said and people fight over it. When they are over tired the littlest things can make people angry and they pick fights. Friendships sometimes change as well."

"Me and Sam will never fight mummy. We are going to get married and live in a castle with our 3 kids."

"Well I think you and Sam might fight but I believe that that makes your friendship stronger. If you do have a fight with your friends always talk to me sweetie. I'm your mummy and I need to know what is going on between you and your friends."

"Did you and Cristina fight?"

"Yeah we had our differences sometimes but we have resolved them a lot."

"That's good mummy."

"Have you finished because Coopie needs his feed. His falling asleep."

"Yeah mummy I'm finished."

She helped her out of the bath and wrapped a towel around her. She picked Cooper up and wrapped him in a towel. Kaylee followed her into Meredith's room and Meredith changed Cooper and Kaylee.

"Okay sweetie can you go and get a book and we can read it in here. I'll just change into my pyjamas."

Kaylee disappeared and then came back and climbed into bed with Meredith. Meredith started feeding Cooper and started reading the book for Kaylee.

Derek was planning on leaving early today but he was pulled into an emergency surgery. He soon scrubbed out and headed to the gift shop then he headed home. He parked the car and sighed. He saw the lights downstairs were still on and their bedroom light was still on. He checked his watch. The kids would be settling down soon and almost asleep. He gathered the gifts for Meredith and headed inside. He wasted a lot of time and took longer taking his shoes off.

He grabbed a drink and headed upstairs. He checked Kaylee's room and she wasn't in there, he checked the nursery and Cooper wasn't in there. Then he heard Meredith's voice. It was her sweet reading voice. The voice she used when she talked to Kaylee or when she soothed Cooper by singing to him. It was the voice that made him smile. She never raised her voice and if she did she didn't mean it. He stood in the nursery for a good while listening to her voice.

Meredith sat reading. Kaylee turned the pages when she finished that page. She had Cooper over her shoulder burping him while she read. Kaylee was snuggled into her side and looked at the pictures that covered the pages. She saw the nursery door open and Derek walk through.

"Daddy."

"Hi baby girl." He said sitting down besides her and kissing her head. "What are we reading?"

"Cinderella."

"Oh can I read?" He asked Meredith mainly but still acknowledged Kaylee.

"Yeah sure." Meredith said.

He took over reading the last few pages. Meredith got Cooper to sleep while Derek finished the rest of the book.

He finished the book and Kaylee was close to falling asleep.

"Come on bed for you." He said.

Meredith kissed her goodnight and Derek picked her up and carried her to bed. Meredith done the same for Cooper.

"Daddy make sure you say you're sorry to mummy."

"Don't worry. I'm already on that."

"Good. Night."

"Sweet dreams baby girl. Don't worry anymore just sleep."

Her eyes soon closed and she was asleep. He left her room and headed to his. Meredith came out from the bathroom.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here this morning." He said.

"It's fine."

"Good. I bought you some chocolate and flowers. I was going to get you wine but your breastfeeding. So your favourite juice is there as well. I also am taking requests for breakfast in bed."

"Derek you don't have to do that. I screwed up. I didn't tell you what was happening. I should have. I was warned but I didn't listen."

"I think we both need to apologise. I for one should for calling you a stupid bitch. You are far from one. You are smart and amazing and you are beautiful. I love you and that won't change it."

"I'm sorry for slapping you."

"I deserved that for calling you a bitch. I'm hoping you let me in the bed tonight because the spare bed sucks."

Meredith just smiled and went and hugged him. He kissed her forehead.

After their making up they laid in each other's arms.

"The sex last night was not as good as tonight's. Last night's was weird and didn't feel like it usually does. It was not what I enjoy. Angry sex isn't good." She says to him.

"I know. We went for hours though without anything happening. It was like silent treatment but we were having sex. How on earth does that work?"

"I don't know. I think I have a bruise on my back from when you slammed me into the bench."

"Sorry about that."

"No it's fine. Bruises go away. While it is still visible it will be there for me to remember to tell the truth."

He kissed her lips.

"I love you. Remember that." He said.

"I will and I think we need to promise if something like this happens that we tell each other because I hate the fighting and setting bad examples for our kids."

"I know."

"Kaylee heard us fighting. She is always so sneaky when it comes to us and fighting."

"I know. It annoys me at how good she is at sneaking up on people. Maybe she should become a spy or a ghoster."

"Derek."

"Okay. She won't."

She smiled at him.

She loved when it was like this. Nothing but jokes kisses and smiles. It was so much better then yelling and slapping each other and sleeping alone.

**What'd you think let me know. Next chapter is remembering Michael 5 years on.**


	32. That Will Be Our Happily Ever After

**Next chapter is up. Hopefully you enjoy.**

Life in the past few weeks got busier. After their fight Meredith didn't get in contact with Thatcher again. She was going to wait a few years for things to settle down. Today was a Tuesday. Derek had asked for the day off as a family day. Today was the 5th anniversary of Michael's death.

The Shepherd clan was going for a picnic in the park then heading out to Derek's land to spread his ashes.

"Derek we need to get up." Meredith whispered to him. "And get dressed before that door opens."

Derek stirred. They were still both naked from the night before. He soon turned to her and opened his eyes. He smiled at her and kissed her.

"But being naked is so much funnier." He whispers.

"Yeah I don't want to explain to Kaylee just yet why we were in bed naked. She is smart and I do tell her things but this is something that I don't want to explain to her for at least another 10 years."

"Okay fine. Can you hand me my clothes."

"Sure."

She threw him his clothes and he got changed. She changed into hers before climbing back into bed besides Derek.

"Morning." He said to her.

"Morning to you to." She said.

They just stared at each other for the period of time waiting for either the baby monitor or the door to open.

"Do you realise that it was 5 years ago since we conceived Kaylee." He said.

"Oh it is too. Happy conceiving day."

He smiled before kissing her again but longer and harder.

"We could make conceiving day a tradition."

"No I don't want it to be a condition. I think we should wait and just see what happens but not for a couple of years. The conceiving of our kids is going to be done on the days that contraception is not used."

"God it doesn't seem that long when we were at the hospital. I can't believe she is turning 4 this year."

"Derek she is turning 5."

"Yeah that's what I meant."

They smiled at each other then they saw the door to their bedroom open.

"Morning Kaylee." Meredith says to her.

"Morning mummy." She says hugging Meredith and kissing her.

"Hi sweetie." Derek says.

"Daddy." She jumps onto him and hugs him. "When did you get home?"

"Well you were in bed. So late."

"Oh I wish you were home earlier."

"Me too."

"So how about we get some breakfast going." Meredith said.

"Yeah that sounds good." He says. "Come on Kaylee."

He put her over his back and the two of them went downstairs. Meredith cheeked Cooper and then followed them into the kitchen.

...

"Hi Ma." Derek said as he climbed out of the car.

"Derek, how are you?"

"Good."

Carolyn opened the car door and helped Kaylee out.

"Hello sweetie."

"Hi Nanna."

"How are you big girl?"

"I'm good."

"That is good."

Meredith joined them at the side of the car. She had Cooper with her.

"Hi Meredith."

"Hello."

"And Coopie look at you today, god you're becoming a big boy."

They all walked into the park, heading to where they were having the picnic. Derek followed with the pram and the food.

"Mummy can I go and play on the equipment."

"Hold on just a sec. Where's your hat?"

"I don't know." She said.

"Did you grab it when we left?"

"Yes."

"Maybe you left it in the car."

Derek stood holding onto her hat. He placed it on Kaylee's head when Meredith turned to have a look in the pram. She turned back around and smiled.

"Daddy had it." Kaylee said.

"I know. Well you can get your daddy to help you with your sunscreen."

Everyone else arrived and the kids all went off to the equipment to play. The adults sat around in the shade getting lunch ready and talking. Most of the talk was directed to Nancy. Her bump was more noticeable now.

"I would just like to say that I didn't think my grandkids would come so quickly and all at once. I thought they would be spaced out by a year or two but they seem to have come right at the same time. I wish your father was here to see all of his 8 grandkids. All the kids are unique and they all carry their own traits. I think Michael would have loved discovering each trait and discovering all their personalities. So I think we should have a toast. To family and the new beginnings that. When you lose a life you gain one, we have gained 8."

Everyone clinked their glasses together.

"Okay Derek can you go and get all the kids and we can start on lunch." Carolyn says.

"Sure Ma."

He left to get all the kids. He came back with Kaylee on his back and Lacey on his side.

"Come on sweetie. Well get you fed and they you can all go back on the equipment again."

Kaylee came and sat down besides Meredith. Meredith had Cooper in her lap. She handed Kaylee a plate.

"Nanna is going to help you with lunch." She told her.

Everyone was soon quiet. Especially the kids. They sat eating. The only noises was Meredith and Derek feeding Cooper and laughing each time he tried to reach onto the plate and eat whatever was on there or when he screwed his face up at the food in front of him but them shoved it in his mouth and ate it.

"Mummy what's Coopie doing?"

"He is being funny."

"Coopie can't be funny mummy, he is only a baby."

"I'm sure he can be. His been funny ever since he could smile."

"Yeah he has a nice smile doesn't he?"

"Yes he does. He has your daddy's smile. When you see it you just have to smile along as well."

"Was my smile like that?"

"Yeah. You started smiling earlier then Coopie but you could make people stop me in the streets and ask about you."

"What else?"

"Your laugh. It's just like mine. It's a gorgeous laugh."

"Just like you and your mummy." Derek says.

Cooper had crawled into Derek's lap. He hated sitting so he tried to stand. Derek held him as he stood.

Kaylee sat close to Meredith and Meredith had an arm around her. Meredith kissed her forehead and Kaylee looked up at her and smiled.

"Did you bring the camera?" Derek asks.

"Yeah I did. It's in my bag."

"Get it out. I want to get some photos."

She passed the camera to Derek and he passed Cooper over to her. Meredith held Cooper in her lap and Kaylee wrapped her arms around Meredith's neck and blew a raspberry on her neck.

Derek got a photo of Meredith and Kaylee breaking into a fit of giggles and Cooper smiling along.

Meredith and Kaylee acted as there was no camera in front of them. They just laughed, played and smiled at each other.

Meredith put Cooper on his tummy and Kaylee laid in front of him and smiled at him and made him smile.

"Come on Kaylee, were going to go and play." Braden said.

"I'm okay. I'm going to stay with Mummy."

Braden shrugged his shoulders and chased after the rest of the kids.

The camera had been placed on the mat and Nancy took it, she was waiting for a perfect shot of just the two of them. Which she did. Derek sat beside her kissing her cheek and causing her to smile.

Nancy got more shots of them and some of the kids. The best photo she got was of Kaylee in Derek's arms and Cooper in Meredith's. They just looked at their kids like they were the only things on this earth and that the protection would come if the universe decided against the happiness that was shining through the family of four.

"We're gonna go for a stroll." Meredith says to the rest of them after their family time. "We'll be back soon."

"That's fine. Take all the time you want." Carolyn says.

Meredith put Cooper in the pram with his hat on his head and Derek put Kaylee up on his shoulders. The four of them set off for a walk around the park.

"Daddy we should have brought Peanut."

"We should have baby girl. I forget all about that. Maybe next time."

"Why is today so special?" She asked.

"Well today was the day your poppy passed away."

"Did I ever meet him?"

"No you didn't. Braden missed out by about a day on meeting his poppy."

"It's Braden's birthday tomorrow isn't it?"

"Yes it is."

"And Braden starts big school this week, why can't I start big school."

"You're not old enough yet."

"But I'm the same age as Braden."

"Yeah well he will turn 5 tomorrow and you're still only 4. You start preschool this year."

"Do I get to go to big school next year?"

"Of course you do. My little girl will be all grown up by then." Meredith says upset.

"It's okay mummy, I can't be your baby forever."

"I know but I wish you could."

"Mummy Coopie is your baby."

"Yes he is and he will be for a while."

"Am I going to have more brothers and siblings?"

"Hopefully."

"Why only hopefully?"

"We are just going to have to wait and see if the stalk brings us another baby." Derek says.

"What are stalks?"

"They are what delivers the baby to us." Derek says.

"That's silly daddy. I know that stalks don't deliver babies. The mummy has the baby in her tummy and then she pushes it out when the baby is ready to be born. Mummy did that with Coopie I remember her tummy being big just before Coopie was born."

"Yes that's right baby. Maybe you are smart enough to start big school."

"Oh can I please?"

"Not this year. They don't have any other places so you will have to stay at preschool for the rest of the year."

"Is Sam going to preschool?"

"Yes he is. The same days as you."

"Goodie." She said excited.

"Okay we better head back now. Guess where we are going now?" Derek said.

"Home."

"Nope."

"Nanna's."

"Guess again."

"The land?"

"Yeah. We haven't been out there in ages. So it will be fun." Derek tells her.

30 minutes later they had all arrived at the land.

The ashes had been spread and everyone left. Meredith and Derek stayed with the kids. They went and sat by the water.

Meredith had Cooper in her arms and Derek and Kaylee went tad polling. Derek was showing her what to do. She watched the water carefully and waited for Derek to tell her to get ready to catch them. He told her to go and she placed the bucket in the water and he helped her pull it out. They then examined their findings.

"Wow look at what you got girl." Derek says.

"How many do you think is in there daddy?"

"I don't know sweetie but there is a lot."

"Let me have a look." Meredith said walking over to them. "Wow Kaylee good work sweetie."

"Can we keep them daddy."

"This is their home sweetie. So we will let them go back into their home so they can survive and turn into frogs. They wouldn't be much good to us if we brought them home with us. They wouldn't make it."

"Okay daddy. We can let them go now."

"You sure."

"Yes daddy it's for the best."

"Okay let's let them go."

They both tipped the bucket into the water. They watched as the water settled and watched all the tadpoles swim around.

"You did good sweetie."

"Thanks mummy."

"You ready to go home now." He asked. The sun was starting to go down and the air was becoming cooler.

"Yeah, let's go home." Kaylee said.

Derek put her on his shoulders and the four of them walked up to the car. They had been at the land for a good while. Strapping the kids in they headed home.

"Mummy what are we doing tomorrow for Braden's birthday?"

"Remember that we are going out for dinner with everyone else."

"Oh yeah. Do I start preschool tomorrow?"

"No sweetie. Not until next week."

"But doesn't Charlie and Jackson start tomorrow?"

"They start on Thursday and Friday."

"That's too complicated." Kaylee said smiling.

"Yeah it is. Something you won't have to worry about for a while."

"Good." She said.

They arrived home and Derek started dinner while Meredith played with the kids outside. They all ate dinner and played for an hour before they started bathing the kids. They were in their room with Kaylee and Cooper. Kaylee was in the middle of the bed in between them. She only had attention like this every once in a while so she thought it was wonderful. Sparrow and Peanut had also joined them on the end of the bed.

"So Kaylee instead of a book what about a story from me and your daddy." Meredith asks.

"Okay mummy. That sounds awesome."

"Okay once upon a time there was a girl. She lived with her mum and step dad and younger brother and sister. Her step father was chief at the police station and her mum was an officer at the station. Her mother was always called one of the greats and knew how to do her job very well. She was married before but they split up when she fell in love with the Chief. This one day at school she was walking with her friend to class and her friend kept telling her about this new boy starting in their year. She turned around to what she thought was her name being called but turned back around and ran into someone." Meredith introduced.

"This boy lived with his mum dad and his 4 sisters. His sisters were very girly. He had two older sisters and two younger sisters. They used to always fight and talk about boys and make up. Well this boy had been at this school before but left for another school. He came back to this school and was in the same year as this girl. When he was walking to class on his first day of school he was distracted by his timetable that caused him to run into a girl. They both dropped their books to the ground and bent down to pick them up."

"Hold on they need names." Kaylee says.

"Okay well the girl can be Stella and the boy can be..."

"Luka."

"Well when Stella and Luke were busy collecting their books back up. Stella looks at the boy and it hits her. He is the boy her friend Lucy was talking about before. She had told her that he was dreamy with amazing hair and smile. She was right. They exchanged a few words and Luka asked for her name and Stella said that that is something he would have to find out on his own. They went their separate ways." Meredith said.

"Luka stood there and realised that in his hand he had Stella's English book. It had her name and her class. He stood in the deserted hallway knowing that he would have his chance to talk to her in because they were in the same English class. So when English came he saw her standing outside the classroom with other members but she wasn't talking to them. She stood by herself. So Luka walked up behind her telling her what he knew about her after saying the facts he also said that her name was Stella Bloom. She smiled and said that we better meet properly now and told him her name." He says smiling.

"When the teacher came to class he asked if he could sit with her so she could show him all the rules and the way the teacher teaches. She said that he didn't have to ask since there was a spare seat next to her and that they had a sub this lesson and they wouldn't do anything. He sat down next to her saying that since it was a free less that he could learn so much about her. She replied that she would let him know her if she could know him. They shook hands and sat next to each other. That lesson they sat talking and getting to know each other. He made her laugh that whole lesson something that looked like didn't happen much." Meredith said smiling at Derek.

"The next few weeks they had become best friends. He asked to meet her so they could walk home together. The walk home they stopped in the park and they both sat swinging on the swing. He handed her a felt box she opened the box and inside was a bracelet. She was shocked and said how beautiful it was. It was silver with heart links." Derek says.

"He told her that _when we ran into each other I knew that you are the one for me. Your life is pretty crappy and I want to change that. I want to fall in love with you, marry you, and have kids with you and grow old together. I want to be your prince charming that carries you away to a castle were you have no parents treating you the way you have been treated. There will be just be us because you are someone that I love and don't want to treat like my slave. I'm going to treat you like my princess _he told her." She said.

"A few weeks later the two shared a kiss. Under the moonlight outside the movie theatre. He had asked her out on a date to the movies. The two dated but that soon stopped when a few months later her mother banned her from dating because of other responsibilities like looking after her younger brother Josh and younger sister Penny. The two had an on-off relationship. 4 years later they reconciled with her finding out she was pregnant to Luka. It had been a terrible day when she had spent the day at home with her younger sister because she was sick. Luka's father had died earlier that evening. He showed up at Stella's doorstep and the two of them made their future baby." He said.

"Stella's family had kicked her out of home and she went to live with Luka. Luka and Stella had gotten back together but they soon broke up when Luka had kissed another woman at a party. They took time from each other and that's when Josh was hit by a car and the two of them at a screaming fit at each other. They were told to decide for a system that work for both of them. They were friends who were having a baby. The months past and Stella went into labour at home. Her brother had delivered her baby girl for her. She was early but very healthy. She was also a special present for her daddy being born on his birthday. 3 years later Luka was due to be married to another lady. The night of Stella's birthday a couple of months before they made love and made a new baby." She said.

"15 years later he is living in a huge house with his wife Stella his 4 daughters and 3 sons. Stella is due to give birth to twins in the next few weeks. They live on some land in a faraway place. He would do anything for Stella and his kids. They are the love of his life and if anything happened he wouldn't be able to live with himself. He has the girl he was meant to be with. It wasn't the girl, fall in love get married have kids. It was fall in love have a kid, fall in love again, break up meet another woman marry her, break up with her and marry the other girl and have more kids. Dying in each other's arms when they are 103." He says to Meredith. "I love you." He tells her.

"I love you to."

Kaylee had the groggy eyes and they were close to closing.

"Mummy, daddy. That story sounds familiar."

"What do you mean?" Meredith asks.

"Doesn't matter but it's a story that sounds like you and daddy."

"Well it isn't. Time for bed baby girl." He says picking her up and carrying her to bed.

When he tucked her in she was fast asleep.

"So that was the story of our life and that is how it will be in 15 years time. You, your mummy, Coopie and me along with your siblings and our house on the land. You might not be living at home but that's how it will be." He says kissing her forehead and going to her door.

He stands there watching her.

"Our happily ever after." He whispers before leaving her room.

**What'd you think let me know. I thought it was a sweet chapter and I had to have one like this.**

**Next chapter is Braden's birthday.**


	33. I Won't Sweetie I'll Never Let Go

**Next chapter is up**

**Enjoy **

"Come on Kaylee. We have to get going. The shopping won't be done on its own."

"I'll be there in just a tick mummy."

Meredith organised her handbag with the baby necessities and her necessities. Kaylee then came running into the kitchen.

"Okay grab your shoes and we can go."

"I already have them on my feet mummy."

"Oh I didn't see them. Okay we can go. I'll just grab Coopie."

She grabbed Cooper from the high chair and took the kids down to the car.

"Mummy when can we go and visit Sam?"

"Well they went away this week so maybe next week when you two start preschool."

"Okay then mummy."

She pulled into the car park and helped Kaylee out before taking Cooper out and sitting him on her hip. She held Kaylee's hand as they crossed the road into the centre.

"Okay we aren't going to go food shopping yet we need to go down to the newsagents. I have to pick up some journals."

"Okay mummy. Don't let go of my hand."

"I won't sweetie. I'll never let go."

They walked through the busy shopping centre.

"Mummy why is it so busy?"

"People are doing last minute school shopping."

"Why would people leave it to the last minute? That's crazy."

"Sure is sweetie."

They reached the newsagents and darted the numerous amounts of people in the shop. Meredith didn't let go of Kaylee's hand the whole time.

"Okay these are what I am looking for. How many will I need?" She says.

"I don't know mummy. What are they for?"

"Just a little project that I am working on." She tells her. "Birthdays can go in one, add a page can be another and the family history can be a third one but I will grab a 4th one just in case." She says to herself. "Okay we can go and pay for these now."

"Mummy, hand."

"Oh right." She holds onto Kaylee's hand while struggling to hold Cooper and the journals and her handbag.

They reach the cashier.

"Hi how are you today?" The lady asks.

"Good." She says placing the journals on the counter.

"You look like your struggling."

"Just a bit. I should have grabbed the pram but I can manage." She tells the lady sitting Cooper on the counter to reach for her handbag.

She rummages through it to find her wallet. She pulls it out.

"The joys of parenthood, never being able to find your wallet."

"Yes, I've been there. Raised 6 kids myself."

"Wow, my husband came from a family of 5 kids."

"Can I say that you seem too young to be married with 2 kids."

"Yes well I am but I don't care. Had Kaylee here when I turned 18. Got married last year and had Cooper here last year when I was about to turn 22 so it's all good."

"I was a young mother myself. I think you enjoy it more when you are younger."

"I agree."

"You planning on having any more kids?"

"Yeah my husband and I are but we are going to wait until I finish as an intern and am a resident for a year. Too much work being a pregnant intern."

"Your becoming a doctor?"

"Sure em, July this year I start my residency."

"Well good luck."

"Thank you." She says to the lady packing her wallet back into her handbag and picking Cooper up and the bag the lady put the journals in. "See you later."

"Have a nice day."

"I will."

She grabbed Kaylee's hand.

"Okay we have to go and get Braden a birthday present." She tells Kaylee.

They reach the toy store and Meredith had gotten a trolley to put the kids in.

"So what do you think we should get him?"

"Well on the TV I saw this pretty cool car set."

"Yeah what was it?"

"It was a matchbox set. I can't remember what it is called but I will know what it is when I see it."

"Okay we are looking for the cars."

She says pushing the pram down to the car section.

"There it is mummy." Kaylee says pointing to it.

Meredith picks it up from the shelf and looks at it.

"Yeah I think he will like that. We shall get him that."

They arrived home 3 hours later. The grocery trip turned into a let's look in every shop and have a very long lunch. Cooper was very fussy and didn't want to be put down after lunch. So she had to grocery shop pushing the pram with one arm and carrying him in the other. She hoped he would fall asleep on the trip home but he didn't. She carried the kids inside then went and collected the groceries from the car. She came back inside and both kids were asleep on the lounge. She laid Cooper down in the rocker and left Kaylee where she was.

She unpacked the groceries and then started writing in the journals.

Derek came home a few hours later. Both kids were up and had had their baths ready to go out for dinner. He greeted them both in his room on the bed watching TV while Meredith showered and got ready.

"Hey your home." She says as she sees him walk into the bathroom.

"Yeah I am."

"I was just about to jump in the shower."

"Okay well I will join you."

"No silly business." She tells him.

"I know."

They arrived at the restaurant a little while later. Derek carried Cooper in and Meredith carried Kaylee in.

"Hi guys, you made it." Kathleen says.

"We wouldn't miss it for the world." Derek says.

"Where is Braden?" Meredith asks.

"Sucking up to his grandparents." Kathleen says.

Meredith sets Kaylee on ground.

"Go on go and give it Braden." Meredith tells Kaylee.

She runs off towards Braden and Carolyn.

"Let me take my cutest nephew." Nancy says walking towards them.

"So you don't think my son is cute." Kathleen asks.

"Okay I only have two nephews and they are both cute. So don't get all offensive and besides he is the youngest." She said taking him into her arms.

"Nancy I'm gonna tell you this now. When your boy is born Cooper is going to be my favourite."

"Oh you wouldn't."

"Yeah I would."

"That's mean."

"See what I mean. It goes either way. Meredith and Derek will get offensive if we say that Conner or Braden are the cutest."

"I get your point."

"Okay let's have presents opened since everyone is here." Kathleen says walking away.

They had opened the presents and were having dinner.

"Oh Meredith you and Derek better hurry up and have a few more kids. You're towing behind. Nancy's gonna have 4 kids by June. Kathleen has 3 kids and it won't be long before the 4th comes along. Come on Derek step up the game. Don't you have sex with Meredith anymore?" Alice says.

"And you are obviously drunk Alice." Derek says.

"But seriously. You need to step it up man. Sleep with your wife and have another kid."

"We've already talked about this Ally; we're waiting a few years." He says. "And we were only young. For all you know if we didn't have Kaylee when we were 18 we might not even have any kids. Maybe one but you never know."

"Yeah but seriously. What would you say if I said I was pregnant?" Alice says.

"I would be knocking on the guys door asking why he isn't married to my sister and asking why he knocked up."

"Derek I'm the same age as you were when you had Kaylee. It's no different. You didn't see me going to Meredith's door and beating the crap out of her."

"Maybe because you were only 14 at the time. You are now 18. And you can't really bash the crap out of the girl if she got pregnant because you usually need a man to get that happening."

"That's too much doctor crap." She says. "I need more liquor." She says getting up and going towards the bar.

"She's gonna be sorry in the morning." Meredith says. "Maybe she is right. Maybe we do need to step up the game and have another kid."

"I can't believe you said that but I'm going to say no because you start your residency in 6 months. You'll be having this baby in like late October and have to fall behind because of being pregnant. So we're not stepping up the game."

"I can't believe you actually said that. I thought you would have said sure great idea."

"Yeah well one of the interns doing her internship with me has fallen pregnant and I can now see it from their point of view. The worst decision to fall pregnant at this time."

"Okay then. You better make sure the condom is in use at all times."

"I will but don't hate me if I forget."

"Why would I. I love you too much."

"I know." She says kissing him.

Cooper let out a cry and they both turned and looked at him.

"What?" Derek asked him. "Don't you like your mumma and me kissing?"

Cooper just looked at them confused then let out a cry again. Meredith picked him up from the high chair and started feeding him.

"Is he hungry Mer?" Carolyn asks.

"When is he not?"

Everyone lets out a laugh.

"That is true."

Derek sat watching him feed.

"I know I always say this but he looks so peaceful when he drinks."

"I know." She says.

She looks over at Kaylee. She looks like she is about to fall into the table.

"Kaylee sweetie come here."

Kaylee looks up and walks towards them.

"Do you want to go home sweetie?" Meredith asks.

"Yes mummy."

"Okay well daddy will change you into your pyjamas if you want."

She nodded her head and Derek picked her up and carried her to the mothers room to change her.

"Is she ready to go home?" Kathleen asks.

"Yeah. She looks like she will pass out at any minute."

"Do you want to do the cake now?"

"If you don't mind."

"Yeah well I think we better turn in soon. Lacey is about to fall asleep as well."

"Okay well when Derek comes out of the bathroom with Kaylee then we should be good to go."

"Okay I will go and get the cake ready."

Derek walked out with Kaylee in his arms. She was snuggled into his chest. He came and sat down beside Meredith.

"We're going to have cake now sweetie."

"Okay mummy." She says yawning.

"Come here baby girl. Come to nanna." Carolyn says.

Derek passes her to Carolyn and she snuggles her whispering to her.

Cooper finished feeding and they sang happy birthday to Braden.

"Come on sweetie let's get you home." Derek says to her.

Carolyn passes her back to Derek.

"Are you going to change him or wait until we get home?"

"I'll change him now." She says.

She changes him into his onesie and packs everything into the baby bag and picks Cooper up.

"Here take some cake home. Kaylee can have it tomorrow."

"Thanks Kath." Meredith says taking the cake.

"Bye Braden. We're going home now." Meredith says to Braden.

"Okay aunty Mer." He says kissing her goodbye. "Bye Uncle Derek."

"Bye matey. We will see you Sunday night for dinner."

"Okay. Thanks for coming."

"Anytime." Meredith says.

"Say goodbye to Braden Kaylee."

"Bye." She says yawning.

They said goodbye to everyone else and left.

They arrived home with 2 sleeping kids. They put them to bed then go and sit out on the porch.

"I have some birthday cake here." He says. "And some whipped cream."

"How dirty do you want this to get?"

"I wasn't intending it to be dirty but now since you made it like that then so many things are going through my head."

"You're too cute." She says.

The two of them start eating the cake and turn it into a fight.

"I think we should shower before we hop into bed." Meredith says after their cake fight.

"Yeah I think that that is a reasonable idea since I have cake a whipped cream all over me."

"You know I can help with that." She says seductively.

"What you talk to Kaylee about last night?" Meredith asks after their shower.

"Not much. She fell asleep when I laid her down to bed. I told her that they story was about us and how it will be in 15 years' time. With the house on the land and more siblings and how she might not be living with us by then. She might be at Uni doing med school or doing whatever else she could be doing."

"Oh okay. It will be our happily ever after."

"Sure will. Say, do you think we will live until we are 103."

"I hope so. I want to see our grandkids grow to have their own kids and them having their own kids. I want to see our great great great grandkids."

"Do you think they will ship us off to a nursing home?"

"God I don't know." She says smiling. "Derek what about if I get Alzheimer's."

"I will be here no matter what. Reminding you of who I am every day. I would never leave you."

"Okay well let's hope there is a cure for Alzheimer's by that time."

"I believe you won't get it. I believe we will be happy and healthy for the rest of our lives. No matter what. I'm here for you through sickness and in health remember, we promised each other that last year at our wedding. Do you remember our wedding, April last year."

"Yes I do. I'm just thinking."

"About what?"

"I think that for our family history to carry on, we need to start like journals or something. It will keep the history going and if I do get Alzheimer's you can read to me from it every day so you can remind me of the life I have had. It will be good so they can know important dates and family history so like our wedding and small details from that. Or Kaylee's birth at the land. It is something that would be great for our generations to carry on and so who knows our 9th or 10th generation will know what happened the day we met or the day I gave birth to Kaylee."

"That sounds like an amazing idea."

"Well if you didn't like it I was going to start it anyway."

"I love all your ideas."

"Oh thank you. Do you want to read what I have written so far?"

"Sure."

She hands him the journal and he opens it.

"A little bit about this project." He reads aloud. "This is our family history. I will carry on writing our family history for as long as I can. This is something that can stay in the family for as long as it will be possible. When we pass we would like this to be history that you can have at your fingertips. So if you wanted to know the birthday of a family member you could just look it up. We will have a section for birthdays and they will just get added in as members are born. This can go for years and that is something I wish to happen. So when this gets given to you start writing. Even if it is about catching your first fish or about your first kiss. It doesn't matter how outrageous or silly it sounds its history and can be looked upon in future. So when this is given to you start writing. Love and hope from Meredith." He reads.

"What'd you think?"

"That's good."

"There's more on the next page."

He flips to the next page.

"It's all our birthdays. Derek Christopher Shepherd 7th of July 1992, Seattle Grace Hospital. Meredith Elizabeth Grey 1st of October 1992, Seattle Grace hospital. Kaylee Sofia Shepherd, 1st of October 2010, The land. Cooper Isaac Shepherd 30th of June 2014, Seattle Grace hospital."

"I was going to add in your parents but I thought that since we are starting it we could maybe just have a parents and siblings page."

"Yeah that's good. I like how you left so many pages for birthdays."

"Well I was going to leave this journal for birthdays. Then the next journal will be add a page in about yourself, so it will be like when you were born, your parents, siblings, where you grew up, school, significant events and just a bio. That will be one journal and they can keep adding pages when kids are born. Then the next journal we will start the family history."

"God you have thought about this."

"Is it too much?"

"No its good. I would never have thought about this in a million years. Where are we going to start on the history?"

"I think maybe the day we met. Then just try and remember things from after that."

"Okay, do you want to add anything in now?"

"Well because I had a very quiet day and the kids just did whatever I started a lot of it and I started a lot before. Which are written in my diaries."

"Well that was a good idea. Can I read your diaries?"

"No." She says smiling. "They are never to be touched again. They stay locked up in my cupboard."

"Oh you're mean."

"Get over it sweetie. Just because I'm not letting you read them doesn't mean you have to sulk about it. There was nothing really in there anyway."

"That means there is."

"No there is nothing." She says leaning in to kiss him.

He kisses her back.

"Do you wanna continue this latter?" He asks.

"What the possible sex that you might be receiving or the journal writing?"

"The sex." He says. "I was joking. The journal writing I mean."

"Good because I thought that something might have been up if you said no to the sex. Like maybe you would be gay."

"If I was gay I would turn straight for you honey."

"That's nice to know." She says with a confused look then smiling at him. "I guess I would never be gay cause I already have you."

"Here's to making history." He says kissing her again.

"What, we're not recording this in there."

"Oh I thought that is what you meant. I didn't mean anything about that. God I wouldn't want our future grandkids knowing about when we had sex."

He smiles. "I was joking."

"Good."

"So getting back to the possible sex you were gonna give me."

"Oh yes that."

**What'd you think, let me know? Next chapter will be Kaylee's first day at preschool.**


	34. The Only Woman You Will Love Is Me

**Here is the next chapter, hopefully you enjoy..**

"Mummy mummy, get up. I'm starting preschool today. We can't be late." She says jumping on the bed.

Meredith opened her eyes and saw her jumping on the bed. Derek had to stay for the night shift but was due to be home in the next half an hour.

"I know sweetie. You excited?" She says. "Am I kidding you have probably been up since 5 this morning."

Kaylee just nodded her head.

"How about we get some breakfast ready. You don't start for a while."

"Okay mummy."

She got up off the bed and Meredith followed before checking the nursery. Cooper was still asleep. So she went downstairs to get Kaylee breakfast.

She heard the front door open then saw the other door open to Derek walking in.

"Where's my big girl?" He asks.

"Here daddy."

He walked over and picked her up.

"God you're getting big. I wish you didn't. I wish you stayed a little baby forever."

"You have Coopie daddy."

"Oh that is true." He said setting her down on the chair.

He walked over and kissed Meredith.

"How was work?"

"Good. How was last night?"

"Lonely but good. This little girl was jumping out of her skin. Barely slept. Coopie on the other hand slept all night."

"What time he go to bed."

"9 and it is now 7.30."

"That is a good sleep. 10 and a half hours. He might not sleep today though."

"I think he might. I hope so. I'm taking him to class so he better."

"What time you going into school?"

"11."

"Okay well I don't have to go back today. I can watch him until your break and leave him with you."

"But don't you want to sleep."

"Sleep is for the week. I can sleep when I pick her up from preschool and bring her home."

"I'm sure that sleeping won't be an option. She will talk her little heart out."

"Yeah well I can sleep tonight."

Meredith smiled at him and that was interrupted when the phone rang. She answered it.

"Hello?" She said. "Yes I will just put her on." She said down the receiver. "Kaylee someone is on the phone."

Kaylee took the phone and held it up to her ear.

"Hello? Hi nanna. I'm good. Yes I am. I just have to get dressed and I'm ready to go. Okay I will tell her that. Do you want to talk to mum or dad? I will put mum on again. Bye nanna." She said handing the phone back to her.

"Yeah. I will take lots of pictures for you. Derek bought me that camera for a reason. Okay sure. I will see you on Wednesday. Bye." She said hanging up the phone.

"What did my mother want?"

"Just to tell me to take lots of photos."

Derek laughed. "That's my mother."

Cooper soon came over the baby monitor.

"I've got him." He said.

"Time to get you dressed Kaylee." Meredith said taking her hand and leading her upstairs.

"So what do you want to wear. A dress. Jeans."

"Um can I wear a dress with tights?"

"Of course." She said going through her cupboard. "This dress."

"Yes."

Kaylee dressed herself while Meredith took her shoes from her cupboard.

"Can you do my hair?"

"I was going to after you brushed your teeth."

She ran past Meredith and into the bathroom putting toothpaste on her toothbrush and brushing her teeth.

"Slow down. We have plenty of time."

She slowed her brushing down and Derek walked in with Cooper.

"Look who it is Coopie. Its mummy. She feeds you a lot do you remember her." Derek says to him.

"Look at his hair. It's all ruffled." She says looking at Cooper's hair. It's sticking up everywhere. "What have you been doing in your sleep little boy."

"I don't know but you make my hair look like that sometimes." He says. Meredith smiles before hitting him playfully.

Derek passes him to her and she tries to tame his hair.

"Finished mummy."

"Okay." She says. "Get some breakfast. I'll look after them both."

He kisses her cheek before leaving.

"Okay where can Cooper go?"

"Mummy he should be fine on the floor."

"Your right." She sits him on the floor and he just sits there. "It will only be for a second."

She brushes Kaylee's curls. Before putting a headband in to match her dress.

"What do you think?"

"I look pretty mummy. Thank you."

"No worries baby. You're all set ready to go." She tells her. "Go and grab your shoes from your bed and you can go downstairs and watch some TV."

"Okay mummy." She says leaving the room.

She picks Cooper up and sets him on the sink holding onto him.

"Let me see your mouth little buddy. I think your due for you next tooth."

She opens his mouth examining it for any new teeth that might pop up soon.

"None yet. Maybe in a few weeks."

She holds onto his hands as he stands up.

"You're a little daredevil aren't you? You might be walking in a few months." She says to him.

She wraps her arms around his little body picking him up and she takes him downstairs to be fed.

While she is feeding Cooper the doorbell rings. Derek answers it and sees Izzie, George, Alex and Cristina standing at the door.

"Hi guys."

"We've come to see Kaylee on her first day of preschool." Izzie says.

"Okay, well she is just in the lounge room with Mer."

The four of them walk into the lounge room and Kaylee looks up with a smile.

"Hi." She says to them all.

"Hey sweetie. You ready for your big day?" George asks.

"Yes George. I'm a big girl."

"You sure are." He says.

"Before long you're going to be finishing high school and be off to Uni." Izzie says.

"Oh don't worry it won't be for a long time. If not you can have Coopie."

"Okay we will think about that."

Meredith finished feeding Cooper and sat him on the ground to go and play.

"Come on Kaylee were gonna get some pictures of you since Nanna wants some."

Kaylee got up and followed Meredith with her back pack. Meredith had the camera and everyone else followed outside to the backyard. Derek had Cooper.

"Oh sweetie it's time to go." Meredith told her.

"Bye Kaylee, have a good day." George and Izzie said hugging her goodbye.

Alex and Cristina done the same thing and they left. Derek changed Cooper and Meredith packed Kaylee's lunch and they headed off to the preschool. Meredith had her camera in hand.

In her seat she turned around.

"Say cheese Kaylee."

"Cheese." She said as Meredith snapped a photo of her.

"Perfect."

"Here we are Kaylee." Derek said pulling into the car park at the preschool centre.

Derek helped her out of the car as Meredith got Cooper and he grabbed her bag from the back. They stopped in front of the front gates when they heard their names being called out.

"Meredith."

They turn and see Steph with Dan and the two kids.

"Hey guys. You ready Sam." Meredith asks.

"Yeah."

"Steph can you get a photo of the four of us."

"Yeah sure."

Steph took a photo of Derek, Meredith, Kaylee and Cooper together as a family.

"Come on lets go inside." Dan said.

They headed inside.

"Okay find your locker Kaylee and that's where you will put your bag for the rest of the year." Meredith told her.

Sam and her went off to find their lockers.

"Look at you Steph. You are getting truly bigger." Meredith said.

"I know."

"So the sex of the babies. Do you know yet?"

"Well we are having a boy a girl and another girl."

"Oh that is exciting."

"I know. We have so much to prepare in such a short amount of time."

"You'll find the time."

"Mummy I found it." Kaylee and Sam out.

They followed the yells and found them side by side.

"Right next to each other. You two are both lucky kids."

"Hi who do we have here?" One of the teachers said walking forward.

"This is Kaylee Shepherd." Derek said.

"And this is Samuel Baxter."

"Oh yes. Both of you are in my class. What are your parents' names?"

"I'm Derek and this is Meredith and our 7 month old Cooper."

"And I'm Steph and this is Dan and Zoe who is 2 years old."

"Well it is so nice to meet you all. How about you come into the class room as we wait for the other kids to come."

"What is your name?" Meredith asks.

"I'm Bonnie."

She led them into the colourful classroom filled with toys and everything else.

"Sam and Kaylee you may go and play with a toy."

"So I will be Sam and Kaylee's teacher for the year and for the 3 days they come this week. Do you have any questions?"

"Not really that I can think of."

"Okay good. Can I ask about your careers?"

"Steph and I work at a business firm as accountants. We are having triplets in July."

"Congratulations. Triplets wow."

"Yeah I know."

"What about you Derek and Meredith."

"Well I'm a first year intern."

"And I'm in my last few months at med school. I'm becoming a doctor in July."

"So we have accountants and Doctors among us. I wonder if the other children's parents' careers are the same."

Other children soon arrived and Bonnie done her introduction to her class with all the students and the parents still in the room. They marked the roll and the kids said goodbye to their parents.

Meredith and Derek left with Cooper. They had said goodbye to Steph and Dan and headed home.

Cooper was asleep when they got home so they put him to bed and went to the bedroom and laid down beside Derek.

"God I can't believe she is at preschool now."

"I know. Before we know it she will be at primary school starting kindergarten."

"I know." She says leaning against his shoulder.

"Do you want some cheering up?" Derek asks.

She nodded her head. He turned to her and started kissing her.

"Were you thinking sex?"

"None other."

...

"Derek." She said. "I have to go to class."

"Come on 5 more minutes."

"Yeah and 5 more minutes I will be late."

"Oh you're no fun."

"Tonight I promise all the love you can handle." She says kissing him. "I'll see you this afternoon."

"Okay. Do you want me to drop Cooper off."

"No you spend the day with him."

"Okay. I love you."

"I know. I love you to."

She left the room smiling at him.

He heard the front door close. He got up and pulled his boxers on and threw a t-shirt on. He walked into the nursery to see Cooper still sleeping. He didn't know what to do. He was usually home with Meredith and both kids. He leaves the nursery into his room again and sees the journals sitting on the dresser. Meredith had been hard at work filling in the history from the last 8 years. She had used the weekend as a writing weekend and filled in everything. She was up to date with the history and they could start filling in details as soon as they happened.

He flicked through the pages of history about them meeting and things like that. It made him smile about those times when they were young and in love. He made it to the next blank spot and decided to fill in the space.

_Monday the 2__nd__ of February 2015, Kaylee's first day at preschool. Her teachers name is Bonnie and she is in Sam's class. Steph and Dan tell us the sex of the triplets. 2 girls and a boy._

He looks at his entry and smiles before closing the book. Cooper starts crying so he goes and gets him.

"How about we go for a drive or a walk to the photo place and get these pictures developed." He says to Cooper.

Cooper just yawns before smiling.

"You are cheeky little boy. Come on lets go for a walk. Enjoying the summer air."

He gets himself and Cooper ready and goes to find the pram. He opened it and placed Cooper in. Letting him sit up to enjoy the world passing. Placing the hat on Cooper's head they headed off down to the street.

Every time he passed someone especially ladies they would look at Cooper and awe some even saying he is a beautiful baby, and how blessed he is. Most of the ladies stopped what they were doing just to admire Derek and Cooper.

"You are a chick magnet." He says to Cooper. "I'm not gonna let Mark near you."

They arrived at the camera shop and headed over to the printer. He took the camera out and plugs it into the USB socket.

"We have a lot of photos to choose from Coopie."

"Hi may I help you at all." One of the ladies asked.

"Um I think that we are fine."

"Okay. Just come and ask if you need any help."

Derek nodded his head. He was more interested in printing photos off then answering. He decided it would be best if he printed photos off in groups and from different days. He knew Meredith had the printer at home but this was more convenient.

The photos he printed were almost every single photo taken since the camera first started being used at Christmas last year and he had also grabbed the other camera that wasn't used.

"Wow you have a beautiful daughter." The lady said.

"Thanks. It was her first day of preschool today."

"You must be so proud." She says.

The next photo pops up and it is of Derek and Meredith kissing.

He could hear the lady coughing silently behind him. The awkward cough you do when you find out the hot guy with the two beautiful kids has a beautiful wife.

"Here's the receipt." He says handing it to her.

"I'll just go and put this through." She says turning and walking away.

Derek collected each photo and placed them in separate envelopes. He paid for the photos and left down the street heading to buy lunch before going home.

He had picked Kaylee up from preschool and bought her home. She had not stopped talking about preschool since she saw him. Derek had kind of tuned out but still tried to listen. He was lost after she said all the names of the people she had met today.

"Oh so did you have fun." He asks.

"Of course daddy."

He was looking at the photos he printed off today.

"What are these daddy?"

"Photos that I printed off."

"There's a lot here."

"I know. I thought I would do mummy a favour."

"Can we sit and look at them."

"Sure. Remember to hold them by the edges."

"I know daddy."

After 4 Meredith walked through the front door and into the lounge room. Derek was asleep on the lounge.

"Mummy your home." Kaylee says.

"Hi sweetie. Is daddy tired?"

"Yeah he is but look what he did today." She said leading her into the kitchen. "He printed the photos off your camera."

She looks at all the different piles of photos smiling.

"How was today." Meredith asked her.

"It was so fun mummy. A girl in my class she is usually at the crèche. So I had someone else to talk to."

"Did Sam like it?"

"I think so. He made some new friends as well."

"That's good. You are meeting new people."

"Mummy I like this photo." Kaylee says pointing to a photo.

It is of the four of them. It was only taken last week at the park. Derek had Kaylee in his arms and Meredith had Cooper in hers. They were both smiling while looking at the two kids because they only cared for their two kids.

"It's a good one isn't it."

Meredith had gone through all the photos. There were photos from when Kaylee was just a baby. He would have spent a while printing all the photos off. Each photo brought back a memory from that moment or that day. She looked further into the photos and saw photos from when before they were married and had the two kids. It was from high school. They would have only been in year 10. It was from their excursion to the ski fields. Derek sat beside her and was whispering something in her ear and she was smiling.

It was only from 6 years ago but it made her smile about the way they were that day. They had just started going back out and had almost been caught in each other's rooms. There were photos that she had forgotten about and ones that she remembered like it was yesterday.

"Your home." She hears.

"Yeah I am." She says. "Did you print all these off today?"

"Yeah well I was only going to print the ones off the new camera but I found the other memory cards and took them with me. I didn't just want to choose some so I chose all of them. I knew you would be happy."

"Well most of them are bringing back memories. Some I had forgotten about."

"Well that's the beauty of photos they bring back those memories."

After dinner they sat in the lounge room. Kaylee was drawing and Cooper was in his walker.

"Promise me that you won't let Mark take Cooper out. Cooper is the biggest chick magnet out."

"God were woman throwing themselves at you."

"Some almost did. I kept getting stopped by woman."

"That is kind of weird. I mean you didn't do anything did you."

"Know I would just say that we had to get going because my wife was waiting."

"Good."

"It gets better. At the camera store the lady came up to me and asked if I needed help I said that I was fine. The hour I was there she lent up against the counter watching me. I had a photo of Kaylee up and she said how beautiful she was and then the next one came up and it was of me and you kissing. She done that cough you do when you're in an awkward situation and she took my receipts and backed away."

"You showed her. I'm proud of you."

"Thank you."

"Mummy I'm ready for bed."

"Okay let's go."

She settled Kaylee in for the night and had Cooper settled before joining Derek in bed.

"I added in today's entry to the journal."

"Did you. What did you write?"

"That today was the day Kaylee started preschool, her teachers name is Bonnie and she is in the same class as Sam. I also said that we found out the sex of the triplets."

"Sounds like a good entry."

"So I remember that you had promised me something from earlier today." He said kissing her shoulder.

"You'd never forget."

"Why would I. I love you. Love isn't strong enough."

"Well I love you too even if woman throw themselves at you. I don't care because the only woman you will love is me."

"You are true about that."

**What'd you think let me know? Next few chapters is from Jackson's, Jasmine's, Derek's, Richard's, Meredith's, Charlie's and Mark's. it's their views from the day that happens. **


	35. Worst Nightmare

**Here is the next chapter, hopefully you enjoy.**

_Jackson_

"Hey." I hear behind me.

I turn to see Jasmine's pretty face. I bend down kissing her lips.

"Hi you. What's up?"

"I have our plans for tonight."She says holding a pamphlet in front on me.

"What is it?" I ask taking my books from my locker and shutting the door.

"A dance party. It's the final one for the summer. We have been to every other one this summer; we can't miss out on this one."

"Well I suppose I can't say no." I say kissing her once more. "I got an invite as well."

"Good. So on our way home we will drop by Meredith's then head to my house to pick some clothes up and head back to yours."

"Sounds like a plan." I say. "I'll see you later."

"Yes you will." She says to me.

I share one last kiss with her before watching her walk off to her next class.

I pull the invite out and read the invite.

_Last dance party for this summer. Remember not to say a word to parents because they will shut it down like before. Be there at 8 for the last night of music, dancing and no parents._

I stuff it back into my pocket as I head into biology.

_Jasmine_

I stood beside Jackson's car after school. I waited to see his face pop out from the crowd. I finally see it and smile.

He is fast on his feet to my side hugging me and planting a kiss on my lips.

"Ready?" He asks.

"Sure am."

Our trip home we picked Charlie up from school then drove to Meredith's.

"Hi guys. Come on in. I will just go and look for that book." She tells us as she heads into the study.

I take Jackson's hand and lead him into the kitchen. He went to the fridge pouring us a drink and I looked out the window to see Kaylee playing with Peanut. I opened the door and called out to her.

"Kaylee."

She looks up and her beautiful smile is across her face. She gets up and runs towards me hugging me.

"Hi Jasie."

"Hey sweetie. How's preschool?"

"So much fun."

"That's good sweetie. You can go and play again."

"Okay Jasie."

I watch as she runs back towards Peanut and I head inside.

"Kaylee's outside Charlie."

"I'll go and see her."

Charlie leaves the room heading outside to play with Kaylee. I watch as Kaylee's face lights even more.

"So we still going tonight?"

"Yeah." I say. "Good way to end the summer and have some fun."

"What type of fun?" I hear.

I turn to see Meredith entering the kitchen with Cooper on her hip. Cooper always like being carried so he could see the world. Meredith had him so he could view the world around him.

It felt like forever when I last saw Cooper. He looks as he had doubled in size since last time and his head is now covered in more hair. Meredith sets him in the highchair and goes towards the cupboard.

"Nothing. It is just a friends party."

"That means there is somewhere to go. What have you been invited to?"

"A dance party." Jackson says.

"I remember those parties from when I was in year 12. Only year 10's and 11's were allowed because the year 12's were too old to go. Even though most of them could buy alcohol." She says. "Don't listen to what I just said."

I watch as she takes a fruit stick from a packet and unwraps it.

"So they didn't go around when you were in year 10 and 11?" I ask her.

"No they didn't. I'm pretty sure they were banned for a few years because of the location they held them. It was in an abandoned warehouse which was pretty dodgy in my opinion. We drove out to one of them and saw the location it was at. The roof looked like it would cave in at any moment. I'm pretty sure the parents campaigned to stop them because of how dangerous they became." She said handing Cooper a fruit stick. "If they are still running then I'm pretty sure those kids are breaking the law."

"Well these ones are different. We have been going to them all summer. We went to one on New Year's Eve and it was fine." Jackson tells her.

"You better be telling me the truth because if these are the parties that have been banned I will be disappointed because you are all breaking the law attending them."

Jackson had gone and got Charlie and walked back inside.

"Well those ones were underground that were banned these ones are still legal." Jackson says. "We better be going Mer. Thanks for the books."

"No worries. What's Charlie going to do tonight?"

"I um... She is staying at home by herself."

"Charlie do you want to stay here with me tonight since your brother doesn't care about you."

"No its fine Mer. I like being home alone."

"Okay well remember the rules." She tells her. "Jackson, Jasmine if you are going to these illegal parties then stop. You don't know what could happen. The safest thing for you to all do is stay at home and watch a movie or even study. I will be disappointed if I find out you went to one and you lied to me because you are smart kids."

"Okay Mer." Jackson says. "Trust us okay."

"I will but you better not break this promise."

We left the house. Meredith had a point there. I was starting to get nervous.

When I arrived home I passed Billie as I headed upstairs to grab my gear.

_Jackson_

When I pulled into the driveway Charlie was out of the car straight away. Jasmine and I took our time heading inside. Dumping our bags in the hallway we walked upstairs to my room. Charlie stayed down in the lounge room and had the music playing loudly.

I stripped from my uniform and Jasmine done the same. I pulled a shirt on and Jasmine took one of my shirts and my boxers and went and lay down on my bed. This was how our afternoons were usually spent. Just laying down on my bed or on the lounge talking about our day our anything else that came to mind or we would watch a movie or play Mario Kart.

"I'm thinking about what Meredith told us. We will be obeying her trust." Jasmine said.

"What do you mean?"

"Well what Meredith and Derek have done for me was a lot and I don't feel right lying about it and if she found out then she would be disappointed."

"She won't find out. Trust me."

"Okay then."

"Do you wanna fool around for a bit?"

"Charlie is downstairs."

"Well if she needs me she will knock and the music is blasting. That's all she does when you are here."

"I know."

"So what do you wanna do?" I ask.

Jasmine just smiles at me.

_Jasmine_

Jackson and I had been at the party of a few hours now. We had left Charlie at home but told her where we were going. It was just after midnight when I found Jackson.

"Do you want to head home?" I ask. "Because I would rather be in your arms then in this dodgy warehouse."

"You let Meredith's words get to you. God Jasmine nothing is going to happen."

Just after Jackson said that to me a cracking sound came from above us. Jackson and I looked up to see one of the support beams from the roof was coming lose. We looked at each other.

"We have to get out of here." I say.

Another crack sounds and one of the balconies had started to fall with people on it. Their screams caused everyone to stop what they were doing. The balcony collapsed into pieces as it fell. Everyone started running as the place started to fall apart.

Screams were filling the warehouse as it was falling around everyone. I was freaking out because it was an underground warehouse and if the roof caved in then we would all be trapped.

People had escaped the building. Jackson pulled me through the crowd but I fell over.

"Jackson wait for me." I said.

He turned around and helped me up before running with the crowd. The support beam fell trapping people and blocking the exit. Everything was falling apart. We turned with the crowd for the other exit but stopped when the roof caved in on us and hundreds of others

_Derek_

I woke early that morning to the phone ringing. I was asleep besides Meredith. Reaching over her I answered the phone.

"Hello? I say sleepily down the receiver.

"_Derek you need to come into work now. There has been an accident." Mark says._

"Why didn't I get paged?" I say just as my pager goes off. "Don't worry I just got a page."

"_Okay hurry. Everything is a mess. Something about an illegal dance party."_

"Okay I will be there soon."

"_Don't tell Meredith anything yet not until we know some details about it."_

"Okay I won't see you soon."

He put the phone back on the receiver.

"What was that all about?" Meredith asks me.

"I have to go into work."

"Okay."

I quickly got myself dressed and my mobile went off from receiving a message from Mark.

"_Ask Meredith about an illegal dance party?"_

"Meredith do you have any idea what those illegal dance parties are?" I ask her.

"Yeah they used to happen when we were at school and they shut them down. I was talking to Jackson and Jasmine about them because they had been invited to a dance party not an illegal one. Why what has happened."

"I don't know. But I think something has happened involving an illegal dance party." I tell her before leaving the house as quickly as I can.

_Richard_

Tonight was my night of catching up on paperwork. I was usually at the hospital until the early hours of the morning because of the paperwork.

It was just after 1 when I received a phone call.

"Hello."

"_Chief Webber, its Sergeant Michaels. A situation has come up."_

"What has happened?"

"_A warehouse has collapsed with over a hundred kids trapped inside. Mainly kids from Seattle High. Most of the victims are in year 10 and 11. Almost 3 dozen kids have made it out to safety and have called for help."_

"So what do you want me to do?"

"_Have your hospital on standby."_

"I see. Okay keep in contact with me."

"_I will Webber."_

I rub my temples after I hang up the phone.

"Just what we need. Kids trapped in a warehouse."

I turn on the TV situated in my office and watch the news unfolding.

"_About an hour ago the warehouse behind me was filled with almost 2 hundred kids. Now almost 150 kids are still trapped inside after the warehouse collapsed on those teenagers. We don't know how long it is going to take for Search and Rescue to start assessing the situation and rescuing the teenagers. Mercy West hospital has sent a team out to help with the escapees and other hospitals have been placed on standby for when the rescuing begins. All I know is that it is going to be a long morning for rescuers and for those parents wanting to know if their children are trapped inside."_

_Derek_

I arrived at work to find everyone staring at the TV.

"What has happened?" I ask Mark.

"A warehouse has collapsed. They were having an illegal dance party and the roof caved in. They have estimated about 150 kids trapped. Only about 40 have made it out. Most of them are injured so they have us on standby for when the rescuing starts taking place."

"Meredith said that Jackson and Jasmine were talking about going to a dance party tonight. They didn't say it was an illegal one."

"Yeah well that's the problem most kids lied to their parents. Jasmine and Jackson are most likely there."

"Dammit, how's the Chief?"

"I'm not sure. He hasn't come out yet to talk to us."

"Okay I'm going to go and call Meredith. She should be here."

I take my phone from my pocket and go somewhere private but stay in eye contact with the TV

_Meredith_

As soon as Derek left I turned the TV on. There was breaking news on every channel I switched to.

I was shocked at what had happened. I couldn't drag myself away from the TV. The phone rang so I leant back and answered it. I knew that Derek would be the only calling at this time of night.

"Derek?"

"_Hi honey. I think you should get the kids and bring them down here. Richard is going to need you."_

"Is it about the roof collapse at the dance party?"

"_Yeah it is. So don't worry just grab the kids and bring them to the hospital. I will meet you at the main entrance."_

"Okay I will see you in half an hour."

I hung up the phone and went and got myself dressed. Packing a bag for the kids with clothes and everything else I take it down to the car before going into the kids rooms' and waking them up.

"Mummy what's wrong?" Kaylee asked sleepily.

"Um we just have to go to the hospital."

"Is daddy hurt?"

"No his not. I'm not really sure what has happened so we have to go to the hospital."

"Okay mummy." She said.

I picked Cooper up from his crib. Hoping he would stay asleep from this whole transition to the hospital. He woke up once we reached the car. I strapped him in and that's where he woke crying.

"Hey Coopie it's alright." I said to him after I strapped Kaylee in and got in my seat and drove towards the hospital.

He cried the whole time to the hospital and I tried calming him down by talking to him. Kaylee had fallen asleep.

We pulled into the car park at the hospital. I took Cooper out of his car seat and held him while I carefully took Kaylee from her seat. I juggled the baby bag over my shoulder and locked the door before heading up to the main entrance. Derek was standing waiting for me.

"Hi."He says kissing me.

Cooper was still whinging.

"What's wrong with Cooper?"

"He didn't want to be woken up."

"Here give him to me."

Derek took Cooper from me and held him. Derek could usually sooth Cooper straight away. I could usually sooth him but tonight was different. He grizzled, he whinged and cried.

"Come on, we'll go and find Mark and find out what else has happened." He tells me.

We walk through to one of the waiting room where all the interns, doctors, nurses, orderlies and ordinary people have stopped to watch what is happening.

I see Mark, Callie and Arizona look up at us as we walk towards them.

"Meredith how are you?" Mark asks.

"I'm really hoping they aren't there because I will kick their arses but I am hoping that they were one of the ones who escaped."

"Yeah us two."

"Any word yet if they are sending us out?" Derek asks.

"They were going to send a team out but they are going to wait until search and rescue assess the situation to see if it safe to go in. Mercy West is already there treating the escapees but that is about all we know."

"What's wrong with Cooper?" Callie asks.

"I woke him from his sleep but we can usually get him to sleep in the car and by talking to him but I don't know."

"Is he hungry?"

"Maybe." I say. "Derek I have a bottle in the bag. Can you see if that is what is wrong?"

Derek grabbed a bottle from the bag and went and sat down on one of the chairs. He started feeding Cooper but he wouldn't take the bottle.

I needed to give him a hand. I turned to the three of them.

"Can one of you hold her for me? I need to help Derek."

"Here give her to me." Mark says.

I hand Kaylee over to him. Mark settles her in his arms. And I walk towards Derek helping him.

"Meredith, Derek." I hear.

"Richard, any word?" Derek asks. Mark, Callie and Arizona had come over and joined us.

"Not yet but I need someone to go home and get Charlie and maybe check the house to see if they are at home because they are not answering the phone."

"We'll do it Chief. Meredith has her hands full and we are willing to help." Callie offers.

"Okay thank you. Here's the house key. I presume you remember where I live."

"Yes we do."

"Okay good. Now get going."

The two of them leave quickly.

"I'm going to try and get in contact with Jasmine's parents." Richard tells us walking away.

Mark had come and joined us by sitting down with Kaylee.

"Coopie baby what's wrong?" I say to him.

"Maybe he knows what's going on." Mark says.

"Is that it? You miss Jackson and Jasmine."

His bottom lip is out as he cries. Tears fall from his eyes.

"Maybe he's teething again." Derek suggests.

"Maybe, his cheeks aren't red." I say. "He should wear himself out soon shouldn't he?"

"I don't know. How about we go up to the paeds floor. One of the doctors should be able to help us."

"Okay let's go." I say standing up. I turn to Mark.

"I'll stay here with Kaylee."

"You sure."

"Yeah of course. If I find out anything else then I will come and find you."

After arriving at the paediatric floor Derek led me to the nurses' station.

"Hi Dr Shepherd. How may I help you?" One the nurses' says.

"Hi I was wondering if one of the doctors were on the floor. Cooper here just won't stop crying."

"Sure. Dr Stanley is in the nursery."

"Thank you."

Once again he led me to another room. He handed me Cooper before entering the nursery. A few seconds later Dr Stanley entered the hallway.

"Oh Meredith, how are you."

"I could be better if I knew what was wrong with Cooper."

"Okay let's go down to one of the exam rooms and I will take a look."

"Thank you." Derek and I say at the same time.

_It's a parent's worst nightmare not knowing what is wrong with their child. When the crying persists when the simplest things usually calm them down or when the child is sick and they never noticed. They blame themselves for not picking up the symptoms or stopping the child's cries. But what happens when it isn't your child. It's your little brother. What happens then when you knew what they were doing but you never spoke up and tried to stop them when they promised that nothing would go wrong but it does. What do you do then? Do you blame yourself like you blame yourself if your child is sick or do you blame yourself if your brother dies?_

**What'd you think let me know please. Next chapter will be a continue on from this. **


	36. You Think These Moments Won't Happen

**Here is the next chapter sorry about the delay.**

**This carries on from the last chapter.**

**Enjoy **

_Charlie_

Jackson and Jasmine had left me like they usually did. I understood because they were teenagers and they were in love. So whenever we got home I stayed downstairs and blasted my music while they were upstairs. I never dared enter his room when Jasmine was over. If I had to I knocked and waited.

Jasmine had cooked me dinner as an apology for leaving me home. Jasmine was like another sister. If something happened I would be upset because over the last 4 years I have gotten to know her so much better and we usually sat watching movies together into the early hours of the night if Jackson was at work. She comforted me like Meredith used to when we lived together. Meredith will always be my favourite sister but Jasmine has become a part of my life.

They told me what they were doing and how it was illegal but they knew I wouldn't say anything because I am the quiet one and am afraid if I know something and don't speak the truth so I usually lie and say I don't know anything.

Tonight though I had a strange feeling the moment Jackson and Jasmine left the house. I didn't know how to explain it but I felt weird inside. I skipped the feeling and went to the DVD collection Jasmine brought over. She promised me in the morning that we would watch one of the movies while Jackson was at work. I skipped through one of the movies that made me feel happy when I was sad.

Being the youngest child in the family sucked. There is a 12 year age gap between Meredith and me and 6 years between Jackson and I. My parents were never around to care for me so Meredith raised me like she raised my niece and nephew. Don't get me wrong having an older brother and sister that much older made me feel more protected when I was scared. Meredith's arms were big enough to hold me when I was scared and Jackson was old enough to know how to kick someone's butt when they hurt me. If something happened to me they would do a great lot to go and find the person who hurt me because I am the little sister but it wasn't always like that.

Meredith was sometimes too busy with her friends and Derek. She tried hard to do both but sometimes she had to just leave me to be herself for an hour but I don't blame her. Having the responsibility to look after me and Jackson since she was 6 could be a handful and she never had her own time. When I was 6 she being pregnant with Kaylee pushed me further out of the picture. Maybe it was to do with the fact that a lot had happened that year. She was pregnant at a young age and I think that is due to the fact that Michael died and Meredith and Derek found comfort in each other. It was great becoming an aunt but I did get pushed out of the picture a lot because the baby came first but she tried hard to do both and I am grateful for what she has showed me in life. Derek also. They sheltered me a lot from the bad things in life and always stopped mum and dad yelling at me. Before Kaylee they cared an awful lot about me and they still do by letting me stay at their house when Jackson is working and if Jasmine is away. Meredith still treats me like she did when I was 6 years old and I like that. It makes me feel special.

My mother I never really knew. She left me in the care of Meredith the minute she could go back to work. Her career was better than us kids at home. So when she died I was upset but not as upset as you could be with a mother you hardly knew. Dad is a good dad. He made time for us kids if it was our birthdays he would take a day off work to spend it with us. I love my father more than my mother. It's a mean thing to say but I do. Now and then I get upset about missing her but I soon recover because I think about her Alzheimer's and how painful the disease is and how time consuming it is. I'm grateful that she passed on because then she didn't have that nasty illness taking over her life.

I think that let me be more dependent of myself and I could be by myself for a long time without feeling lonely. I know I shouldn't be left alone being 10 years old but what are you supposed to do when your sister is married with the two kids and is busy becoming a surgeon and your brother is 16, and has a girlfriend.

It was close to 11 when I shut the movie off and headed off to bed. I lay awake for a long time. I needed some comfort so I walk into dad's room and go to his cologne. I smell it and it makes me feel safe like he is near me. I then go and find some photos of Meredith, Jackson and I when we were younger. Meredith tried to do this stuff so we had a normal upbringing.

Flicking through the photos of us makes me smile, even though life was tough it was better when we were together. I grab the album from Kaylee's first holiday away and carry it to bed looking at the photos.

I finally fall asleep.

"Charlie." I hear on the other side of my door.

I wake to find Callie and Arizona walking inside.

I turn my light on.

"What are you two doing here?"

"Your father wanted us to bring you to the hospital. Something has happened and he wants you with him."

"Is something wrong with dad?"

"No nothing is wrong with him. Its Jackson and Jasmine."

"Oh okay. I'll just get dressed and meet you guys downstairs."

They left my room.

Yeah you know your life sucks when your father sends his interns to pick you up and you're told that your brother and sister are in danger.

_Derek_

Dr Stanley checked over Cooper. Meredith sat with Cooper in her lap while he did the check up.

"So how long has he been crying for?"

"Well I had to bring him here because Derek called because of the roof collapse. That was just after one I got in the car and he cried all the way here and hasn't stopped. We only tried feeding him but we know something is up when he cries like this because he normally never cries like this."

"Give him here for a minute." He says.

Meredith passes Cooper off and lays him down on the table. He takes his onesie off and checks his nappy.

"Anything?" I ask.

"No. Clean nappy. He could have a little wind."

The doctor pats his back for a good ten minutes and he still cries.

"I will check if he is teething again. He has teethed before hasn't he?"

"Yeah but if he was with me he was fine. He just sucked my fingers or had Kaylee hold him."

"Well I think that he could have the possibility of teething at the moment. I will give him some medicine."

"Oh we have some in the bag." Meredith says.

"I'll use that then."

Giving him a dose of the medicine his cries calm a little and the doctor hands him back to Meredith to hold. Cooper's crying gets worse.

"How'd you feed him last time?"

"With the bottle." I say.

"Do you usually breastfeed Meredith?"

"Yes I do. It was just some expressed milk from earlier today just in case I was in class and he needed a drink."

"Okay well try feeding him again." He tells her. "Make yourself comfortable and I'll be back in 5 minutes."

"Okay then." I say.

Meredith gets up and goes and sits in another chair. She takes his onesie off and leaves him just in his nappy and starts feeding him.

Seeing Meredith like this makes me sad. The panic in her eyes because the baby won't stop crying when he is usually a happy baby smiling all the time.

_Meredith_

Sitting there trying to get Coopie to feed was the hardest thing to do. He wouldn't latch on at all and turned his head away. I didn't know what to do. I sat him over my shoulder rubbing his back and rocking side to side.

I had a feeling that he was overtired and hungry because he sometimes has a feed at this time. The crying had soothed so I tried again to feed him and luck would have it he latched on and started drinking.

"Is he drinking?" Derek asks.

"Yes he is. Thank god."

"I wonder what is wrong with him."

"He just needed to feel like he wasn't alone." I told him.

Doctor Stanley walked through the door.

"Did it work?"

"At first it didn't but now it is."

"Okay most likely the medicine kicked in."

"Yeah I think so."

_Jackson_

I couldn't see a thing or move a muscle. I turned my head and saw nobody. My right arm was caught under a part of the roof. I could hear nothing but only the tiny murmurs from inside the building.

"Hello anyone. Can you hear me?" I called out.

"Jackson?"

"Jasmine where are you."

"I'm underneath you."

I remember now when the roof feel I landed on Jasmine's body to protect her from the falling rubble.

"Can you get off me?"

I moved so I could see her.

"Jasmine do you hurt anywhere?"

"My leg is stuck."

"My arm is as well. Does anywhere else hurt?"

"Nothing hurts but I know that Meredith is hurting."

"I know. I wish we didn't come here."

"I know me too."

"But you learn from your mistakes." I say.

"So almost dying or probably dying is learning a lesson."

"I don't mean it that way. Anyway we won't die. If so it will be in each other's arms."

I hear noises coming from outside, like drilling and rummaging through the rubble

"Those lucky bastards who escaped."

"I know. I know but at least they could go and get help."

"I'm gonna be so dead if we get out of here alive."

"We will."

"Hello?" I hear weakly.

"Hello. Who's there?"

"It's Chloe. I'm stuck under one of the supports."

"Chloe we're stuck as well."

"Is anyone else alive?" She says.

"We don't know. Its Jasmine and Jackson here."

"Okay. It really hurts."

"I know. Just try and get through it."

Within 5 minutes another rumble sounds through the warehouse and I prepare for another cave in but it is a noise of people.

When I look around I notice that the roof has covered almost everything. One section hasn't had anything fall on it. I also see the clothing or the body parts of the other trapped kids.

It was going to take a while before they were even rescued.

_Richard_

Hanging up the phone from the conversation with Jasmine's parents was hard. They yelled at me for calling so earlier then they yelled for letting Jackson take her to a stupid party. I hung up to go and see if Charlie was around.

I walked past the waiting room but stopped and walked inside when I heard what was happening.

"_Search and rescue are still waiting for the okay to enter and they are hoping it will be when first light approaches to make the search easier. With me now is Matt from search and rescue. Matt what can you tell us. Well as we have found out from some of the kids the warehouse here was used as an underground dance party ones that have been banned. We suspect that the loud music and the dancing has caused the collapse. Some of the teenagers said that a balcony was the first to fall and that's when everything started going haywire and the collapsing happened. A helicopter has gone over and some of the roof has fallen and another part is still there. So our first priority is to stabilise the roof so we can get in there."_

"_Has anyone gone in there just to see if any kids are alive?"_

"_In one of the exits I went to was completely blocked off. We are finding another alternative to try and communicate."_

"_Do you think there will be any survivors?"_

"_Yes I believe that every kid in that warehouse will only come out with a few scratches and maybe some broken bones."_

"_Thanks Matt. We will be in contact with you."_

"How could she ask such a stupid question? Most of the parents will be watching this. I don't think they would want to think about this." Mark says.

"I know." I say leaving the room.

_Charlie_

Callie and Arizona had driven me to the hospital and walked inside with me to one of the waiting rooms. I saw dad walking around lost.

"Dad." I call out.

He turns and looks at me. "Charlie."

I run towards him and jump into his arms I break down in tears.

"It will be fine."

"I should have tried to stop him."

"Charlie we all could have but it might not have happened and he still would have gone."

"I can't believe how stupid they are."

"Hey I know. I know but we just have to sit and wait for any news."

"Okay."

"Do you want to stay with me because I have no idea where Meredith and Derek are?"

"Sure dad." He takes my hand and leads me away.

I feel sorry for him. He deals with situations like these only a few times a year but now having to deal with this situation with your son in it must be hard. Now I know how Meredith would feel if this was Kaylee or Cooper. Or if it was Jackson or I. I knew I would have to see her because our brother is trapped and we would want the comfort of each other.

_Meredith_

I finally got Cooper back to sleep. I wrapped a blanket around him and then Derek and I headed down to the waiting room where we left Kaylee with Mark.

My mind started ticking about Charlie and how she is doing. Then how Jasmine's parents are doing. Then I think about all the other parents with children trapped. Most of them wouldn't even know if their children were trapped because they didn't tell them about the party. As we head towards the waiting room my phone rings.

Derek looks at me as I take it out of my pocket. I read the caller ID.

"Jackson?" I say aloud.

"Answer it." Derek says.

"Hello Jackson."

"_It's Jasmine."_

"Jasmine how are you?"

"_Yeah I'm good. My leg is trapped though under something."_

"And Jackson?"

I could hear the muffled noises but I couldn't hear a voice.

"Jas I can't hear you."

"_We love you Mer…." Was all Jasmine said._

The line had gone dead.

"Dammit." I muttered.

"What happened?"

"The line went dead. I don't even know if Jackson is alive."

"Hey he is."

"How do you know?"

"I just do."

"God I hate when you are right."

"You love it dear." He says kissing my cheek. "Let's go and find Mark and Kaylee."

_Mark_

Life as a doctor can bring the good and the bad but today brought the bad. Being on call I was at the hospital and woke up to a page. It just said present myself to the 3rd floor nurses station immediately. That's where Chief Webber made the announcement about the roof collapse. Everyone rushed to a TV and we all sat and waited for news.

That's when I realised that Jasmine and Jackson would be involved in something like this. 1 it was their school and 2 it was their year. Derek and Meredith had also told us about the parties that they attended throughout the summer.

I had called Derek as fast as I could and got him here so he could know what was going on.

I felt like the doctor with the bad news, telling his patient that they were dying. But Derek wasn't dying. It was his brother in law that was trapped and somehow that made me feel like death. When I saw him walk towards me I didn't know what to say. He left me as soon as I updated him to let Meredith know and he told me she was on her way.

Before I knew it the rest of the hospital was here. Arizona and Callie soon joined me watching the local broadcast of the unfolding event. No one was paged and the air was quiet all you could hear was the television broadcast and the crying of a baby. Baby Shepherd. We all looked at the family of four and I felt heartbroken that this was happening.

Before I knew it I had a sleeping Kaylee in my arms, Callie and Arizona had gone to collect Charlie, Chief Webber was tearing his hair out and Cooper wouldn't stop crying.

Meredith and Derek left to see a doctor. I sat alone holding Kaylee just so she knew she was safe in this world and she didn't have to wake up alone because everything else was a mess and no news had been shared.

By 4 o'clock Derek and Meredith were back with a sleeping Cooper. Meredith was asleep on Derek's shoulder and Derek watched the news. I sat beside him with Kaylee and every once in a while I would smell her hair because the comforting lavender smell made me feel like it was going to get better and that I had Kaylee who could be my niece here to hold just in case the world slapped us all in the face.

Arizona and Callie were also sitting down. Arizona on Meredith's side and Callie on mine. We were just hoping that the day was going to get better. I know in Callie's head she was praying for Jackson, Jasmine and all those other kids.

Just before sunrise we had been given news that Search and Rescue were stabilizing the roof and before 9 am that they would start the rescuing of the children inside.

At that very moment Kaylee was starting to wake. Richard and Charlie had joined them and all you could see on the TV screen was the faces of parents waiting for the news that their children were alive.

_When you're doctor you never think moments like these will happen. You think that it becomes a once in a lifetime that things like buildings collapses and earthquakes cause devastation to countries. You also never think that every single member of the hospital you work with will just sit there silently not saying a word and just wishing that it would get better because when the phone rings it usually means that trouble is on its way and you don't have time to see the news it means you have to forget about the world and go save a patient because one of these disasters have evolved and there is nothing you can do it stop it. _

**So what'd you think? Let me know. I'll try and have the next chapter up in a few days. **

**It continues on from this one.**


	37. I Feel Better I Feel Safe I Feel Loved

**Okay next chapter is up. Sorry for the delay, I just hadn't had a chance to update.**

…

It was soon after 12pm when Search and Rescue had entered the building. Stabilizing the roof took longer than they thought.

The hospital was on standby. For the incoming teenagers. They were being triaged by a team of surgeons of Seattle Grace doctors who had been sent out. Dr Roach's interns were sent with him along with the other group.

Meredith had left Kaylee with Charlie. Patricia was watching them.

Meredith took Cooper with her out to the warehouse. She wanted to see Jasmine and Jackson the moment they were brought out from the warehouse. She had been there since 8 that morning along with all the other families and friends. Volunteers had set up a stand for coffee and drinks.

Meredith stood close to one of the search and rescue members who were waiting outside for news to give the doctors to prepare for the trauma. She could hear the conversations from the inside.

"_Come in John, this is Matt. We are inside. Everything is stable. We are on our way to find the trapped."_

"Come in Matt. Keep in contact." John the Search and Rescue guy said into the walkie talkie.

Meredith had hope filling inside of her. She had Cooper with her. He was better than before and more happier. She looked over at the triage tents that were set up. She saw Derek and smiled at him and he exchanged a smile back.

_Derek_

_As a doctor you have to keep on your toes and most of the time be patient._

We all sat around waiting for news of the rescued kids being brought out. We had no idea what some of the injuries persisted of. We were working with 15 people from Seattle Grace, 30 from Mercy West and about 20 from Seattle Presbyterian hospitals. We had a huge triage tent set up with beds and medical supplies on hand to stabilize patients before sending them off in ambulances. We know that the kids will take a while to be brought out so we are prepared with other helpers and workers. Everyone works together. We have also been paired with another doctor so we can work as a tag team.

"Dr Roach do you mind if I go and stand with Meredith." I asked.

"Sure. We don't how long it is going to be so go."

"Thank you sir."

I walk towards her and wrap my arms around her waist. Cooper is happily awake. She was hoping for a miracle so was everyone else. I just had this gut feel that there wasn't going to be miracles for some families. I really hoped our family had one.

"You got a good spot here." I tell her.

"Yeah I know. I can know what is going on. It's good."

"Do you need a drink or a break to go to the toilet? You must be dehydrated."

"I'm fine. Cristina and Izzie are on their way down soon so I will have them to hold him."

"Well remember to take a break. I don't want you passing out and needing medical attention." I say kissing her lips.

"I won't I promise."

"Good. Now I'm going to go to the toilet before everything starts. I could be here a while."

"Okay I'll still be here, waiting."

I left her but was glad when Izzie and Cristina walked into the grounds. I pointed them in the direction of where she was.

_Meredith_

_Being a mother is hard. You have to keep on top of your game just like when your being a surgeon. Falling between the cracks can mess up your routine of getting your kids to bed on time. Or even that one simple surgery of removing an appendixes. You move so fast you don't know how to stop so all those simple routines fail that you have your life being determined by someone else._

"I don't know how long we will be here for. Let's just hope it's not all day."

"Meredith." I hear from behind me.

Turning I see Izzie and Cristina.

"Hey girl, how you holding up?" Izzie asks.

"I'm good. I am just waiting."

"Okay we will wait with you." Cristina says.

"Here hand me Coopie." Izzie tells me taking him from me.

After half an hour a voice came over the walkie-talkie.

"_John this is Matt. We has found our first victim. A male 15 years of age. Appears to have been hit with one of the beams falling throughout the cave in. We will bring him out for the parents to identify. His ID says Joshua Thompson. Someone will be out soon with him."_

My face drops. They have found their first victim.

"Okay I will go and look for the family." The guy says back.

He leaves to go and find the parents of the boy.

"Mer It will be fine. You talked to Jasmine and Jackson."

"I know I just wish they would be brought out already."

...

The body of the 15 year old was brought out. The parents were distraught and asked to identify him. They carried him into the triage tent before he was whisked away in an ambulance to the morgue.

After an hour 10 kids were rescued. Most of them only had scratches and bruises; a couple had some broken bones from where they had some roof fall on them. They were found altogether huddled under some furniture and were near the body of the deceased boy.

Just before 5pm of this Saturday 40 kids had been rescued. The result of the deceased still stood at one. Jasmine and Jackson were still not one of those 40 kids rescued.

Search and Rescue had come out and said that there was an area that had been affected with most of the cave in and would take them a while to get through without injuring any kids.

_Jasmine_

_How do you know when it's your last day, if you did know would you spent in differently by staying at home and watching a movie in the arms of your boyfriend or would you spend it with your family. People can never determine when they will die so it always happens before they get the chance to say they are sorry for breaking their mothers' favourite vase or by breaking their fathers' favourite toy car.  
When we pass do we feel guilty for not saying sorry? Or do we feel guilty because your death has ruined the life of your loved ones._

It was starting to get freezing. We had been talking to Chloe and a few other people. Our section had been blocked off by fallen in roof. We were so close to that second exit but that no longer existed. It had disappeared. I had no idea how far we were from being rescued or if we weren't going to be rescued.

It was silent. The only noise was of the talking of Chloe, Jackson, Lucas, Jessie and Andy. We didn't know if they had started the rescue or not. We were lost but we tried to keep each other's spirits up.

"Jackson what would happen if I died. I would never tell my parents I was sorry."

"Jas we will be fine. We will all be fine."

I kept asking myself. How long could I live like this?

_Charlie_

_You know that the situation is bad when no one says a word and they tread lightly around just in case you are like ice and you will break if they say something. People just need to get over the fact that its life and that it happened. I just wished that people would tell me what was going on instead of changing the subject when I came by.  
Why do people do that? Is it because we are actually made or glass and one word would make us break._

I sat with Kaylee. She was missing Meredith and Derek. I was missing Jackson and Jasmine. I had to keep my niece happy and entertained so she wouldn't ask where they were or what had happened because explaining something like this to a 4 year old is hard. Telling a 4 year old that her uncle has died. That's just wrong and sad but it happens. Sometimes I wish it didn't.

"Charlie I'm hungry." She tells me.

"So am I." I tell her.

To tell you the truth the thought of eating made me feel sick.

"Come on let's go and get some dinner." I tell her. "What do you want?"

"I feel like pizza."

"They don't sell pizza at the cafeteria."

"Well can we call Jackson to go and get it?"

I felt myself tear up. She has no idea.

"His at work sweetie. We might be able to find someone out here." I tell her.

"Okay." She says grasping my hand.

She's the happiest girl in the world. I wouldn't want to burst her bubble.

In the waiting room there were so many people. Mainly because some of the injured had been brought here. The causalities were in a good way. There was only one out of the 50 or so people rescued.

I held Kaylee's hand tightly.

"Charlie, Kaylee." We hear.

We turn around and see Alex and George walking towards us.

"Hi uncle George. Hi uncle Alex."

"Hi Kaylee. Where's your mummy?"

"I don't know." She says.

"She's gone to the accident scene."

"Oh so you have been left here." George says.

"Yeah. Dad's off somewhere and Derek is there as well. So Patricia is watching us but we were hungry and wanted some pizza but we didn't know anyone to buy us some." Charlie says.

"Well we would be no help here so we will drive you." Alex says.

"Thank you."

"No problem kids. Anything for my favourite girls." George says.

Alex bent down and picked Kaylee up placing her on his shoulders. Just so she didn't get lost in the huge crowd of people.

_At least I know someone will be there for you when it gets tough._

...

When it was 10 o'clock they made progress in clearing the blocked off area. Some of the kids had been in there since this time the night before. The darkness was not working well with them all but the search and rescuers were working for those kids and because it's what they love doing.

Meredith had not taken a break since she had been there at 9 that morning. The only time she took a break was when she fed Cooper.

_Meredith_

It was now dark and getting cooler. Izzie and Cristina had left me. So I stood there with Cooper next to John, next to the red tape just waiting for the news of Jackson and Jasmine being alive. I tried calling them but they hadn't picked up. So I just waited and hoped.

Cooper was asleep in the carrier and sucking his thumb. I wondered if he knew what was going on. I also wondered if Kaylee knew.

"You need to take a break Mer." I heard.

I turned to see Derek placing a coat over my shoulders. Mark was with him as well.

"I'm fine."

"Meredith seriously you need to sit. Have some food and drink. You need to keep your strength up. I don't want you collapsing on me. Jackson or Jasmine wouldn't want that either."

"Fine. I'll take this off so I can go to the toilet." I say referring to the carrier.

Derek helps me take it off and he puts it on. He looks at me and his face looks worried.

"Meredith you feeling alright." He asks me.

"I.. Um..." I say before blacking out.

_Derek_

I look at Meredith after putting the carrier on. She looks like a ghost.

"Meredith are you feeling alright?" I ask.

"I... Um..." She says before collapsing into Mark's arms.

Mark wasn't expecting it.

"Come on we will take her to the tent." He says.

Mark picks her up into his arms and carries her to the triage tent. I follow him as he lays her on one of the beds.

"Sloan what happened?" Dr Roach says approaching.

"Meredith collapsed. We think from exhausting and dehydration."

"Okay we will call the ambulance and send her to the hospital." Dr Roach says.

"Sir can I go with her." I ask.

"Sure Shepherd."

"Thank you Sir."

Is stood beside her bed. I kissed her forehead then took my phone out.

"Hi mum. I suppose you have heard. Could you swing by home and pick some things up for Meredith. It's a long story but could you meet us at the hospital. Okay thank you Ma. I will see you then. The kids. I will leave them with me but I might need some more things for Cooper. Just some nappies, wipes and things like that. Okay see you soon bye."

I hang up just as the ambulance drives in. Meredith is loaded into the ambulance.

"Sir are you coming?"

"Yes, just give us a second." I tell them. "Mark can you drive the car back please."

"Sure."

I throw him the keys then jump into the ambulance.

_Richard_

_Being the man in charge is a challenge. Trying to do your job along with all those extra incidences and paperwork. Getting home at a decent hour of the night and being a father. I've been the man in charge for 7 years. I don't know how much longer I could be the man in charge because when your family is in danger you kind of forget how to do that._

"Chief we have an incoming." One of the nurses says.

"From the warehouse?"

"Well it isn't one of the trapped kids it's one of the parents she has collapsed of dehydration."

"Okay then."

I get my trauma gown on and my gloves and go to the ambulance bay with another intern. The ambulance pulls into the trauma bay with the doors opening.

"22 year old female. Has collapsed of exhaustion and dehydration." They say pulling the gurney out of the ambulance.

That's when I see Derek then Meredith.

"Derek."

"Richard."

I don't say anything but we bring the gurney inside with Meredith and into the trauma room.

"Give her an IV and start the fluids to hydrate her." I say.

I turn to Derek.

"Okay Kaylee is with Charlie and Patricia. I'm pretty sure she has them in one of the on call rooms sleeping. So if you want to drop Cooper off to her."

"Ma's on her way."

"Okay. We will get her hydrated and then get her in a room. She can spend the night here."

"Thank you. She is usually so good but this has hit her hard. She forgets the stupidest things like not rehydrating while breastfeeding."

"Derek we all do things like this. It doesn't matter if you always do it. Sometimes you can forget and these things can happen."

_Meredith_

My eyes slowly opened. I didn't remember what had happened. I remember talking to Derek and taking the carrier off and then I blacked out. I looked down and saw my arms connected IV's and lines injecting fluids into my body. I then looked to my side and saw Derek. He kissed my forehead and pushed the hair from it.

"Where's Coopie. I remember he was asleep in the carrier and then I blacked out. Did I drop him?"

"No he is fine. His right here." He tells me pointing to a bassinet. "His sleeping soundly."

"Okay good." I say. "What time is it?"

"Just after 1."

"Any news on the trapped?"

"Yes." He says with a huge smile.

"What, what happened?"

"All the kids have been found. Jackson has a broken arm and some scratches and bruises. Jasmine has a broken leg and the cuts and bruises."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes I am."

He says kissing me.

"Were all the kids alive?"

"Sure were." He tells me.

"That's good. That's really good." I say as he lies beside me. "Where's Kaylee?"

"She's with Charlie, who's with Patricia."

He wraps his arms around me.

"The kids are going to be so dead."

"Yeah they are both grounded for a very long time."

"Can I go and see them?" I ask.

"We will see them in the morning. You need to rest and so do I."

I knew that his eyes were closed and he was ready for sleep.

"Derek."

"Yeah."

"Thank you for understanding."

"Understanding what?"

"Me, and how sometimes I just need to be on my own if things like these happen."

"That just means that I get you. I've gotten you since we were 14 years old."

"I know. I love you. I would want you to know that if something happens to me."

"Meredith I will always know that. Yet again I have known that since we were 14. Well I have come to realised that in the last few years."

"Really?"

"Yes really. Now get some rest Kaylee will want to see her mummy and Cooper will need you. Also Richard won't let you out if you are rested and well."

"That would be Richard."

"Hey he means well. His looking out for his kids."

"I know. He always has."

Derek kisses my forehead and pulls me close to his chest. My head lays next to his heart and the beating sooths me and makes me smile. His beating heart also makes me feel safe and it finally gets me sleepily. Now I know why Coopie loves laying across my chest or being in the carrier.

I feel better. I feel safe. I feel loved.

**What'd you think let me know. So next chapter is helping Steph baby shop.**


	38. The ABC's

**So here is the next chapter, it is just a filler but some important things will come out of this in the near future.**

**So enjoy..**

That Monday Meredith had woken to the alarm. The day before she was discharged from hospital and told to rest. So with doctors' orders she had today and tomorrow off from school. Jackson and Jasmine were being discharged today after Richard requested excellent care for them. Most of the kids injuries had broken bones, cuts, bruises, some had some internal injuries from parts of the roof falling on them but the rest was good and only one casualty which was good considering the amount of kids.

She got up off the bed and walked into the bathroom for a shower. When she emerged she received a phone call.

"Hi Steph."

"_Hi Mer. How are you?"_

"Good."

"_Are you resting?'_

"Derek called you didn't he. No I am. I just had a shower and just about to get Kaylee ready."

"_Well good. Anyway after you drop Kaylee off do you want to come over? I was thinking about going baby shopping."_

"Sure I'm in. So I will come to your house or what?"

"_Yeah come to mine and we can go together."_

"Okay Steph I will see you then."

"_Bye Mer. Take it easy."_

"I will. Bye."

She hung up the phone and walked into Kaylee's room. Sitting on her bed she ran her hands over Kaylee's back.

"Wake up sweetie. Time to get ready for school darling." She says in a soft voice.

Kaylee soon wakes and rolls onto her back.

"Morning mummy."

"Morning baby come on we can have breakfast first then we can get dressed."

"Okay mummy." She says as she climbs off the bed.

"Are you tired sweetie?"

"Yeah mummy. It's been a big weekend."

"I know baby but you don't have to worry anymore. Everything is fine."

"I know mummy."

"Come here." She says picking her up. "Come on let's get some breakfast."

Meredith carries her downstairs and places her in the chair, starting breakfast.

After breakfast she gets Kaylee ready for preschool. She gets Cooper up and him ready with a baby bag.

The kids were in the car ready to go. Within 10 minutes they were at the preschool.

"Okay sweetie. Let's get going."

Meredith takes Cooper out of the car and then helps Kaylee out. She takes her inside then kisses her goodbye before leaving her to go inside.

She then arrived at Steph's with Cooper.

"Hey guys. Just let me grab my bag and we can get going. Come in." She says.

Meredith follows inside with Cooper. She notices Steph's stomach and how big it has gotten. Meredith was that size when she was 6 and a half months. Steph is only 4 and a half months.

"Okay I'm good to go." She says coming back out to the foyer. "Your car or mine?"

"We'll take my car. Since we have the little one."

"Okay than let's go."

"So have you and Dan thought of any names for the triplets." Meredith asked as they drove towards the baby store.

"Well we have a few but I don't know how we are going to go remembering which is which."

"Well I remember talking to Nancy a while ago when she was pregnant with the twins and she said that when parents have identical twins they write on the babies' feet with a marker with A and B."

"Yeah I read that somewhere. Dan and I do have some names and I don't know if it's a coincidence or not but the names we have thought of spell ABC."

"What are they?"

"Well we have Alyssa, Bowen and Carleigh. ABC." She says "They are beautiful names. I think it would be a coincidence if Alyssa was born first, then Bowen, then Carleigh. But we do have alternative names just in case."

"I think they are beautiful."

"Well you do know that you and Derek are going to be godparents."

"Seriously. To all three or just one."

"Well we were going to ask if you would be to all three."

"All three would be my pleasure. Derek will be stoked."

"Yes well I expect that your next baby Dan and I will be first pick."

"Well Derek and I don't even have godparents for Kaylee and Cooper because we know that if something happens then Carolyn will get the kids but I don't really know because we didn't talk about it."

"Well you never know what could happen but I think should have your will in order so those things could happen."

"Yeah I suppose that would be our next bed talk."

"Anyway if Dan and I pass you could have the chance of raising my five. God I'm going to have five kids. It sounds so unreal. Anyway you will have my five and then Kaylee and Cooper and however many more you and Derek will produce."

"And that will be another two."

"You keep saying that but I have a feeling that it might be one or two more."

"Yeah Derek has been saying that but I'm hoping for only 2 more."

"Well I was only suspecting 1 but got blessed with 3."

"Yes your three ABC's."

Steph laughed and Meredith joined in laughing as well.

"God Dan's gonna have a laugh about this." Steph says.

"So will Derek."

Pulling into the car park at the baby store. Steph took Cooper out and Meredith grabbed the bag before walking inside. They were greeted by one of the assistants.

"Hi, how are you ladies today?"

"Good." Steph answers.

"Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Well I seem to be carrying triplets. I've done the whole baby thing before with my four year old but I was here to seek a new nursery I guess."

"Sure well if you follow me this way and we can start with the cots."

"Okay."

"So do you know what you are having?"

"Yes. 2 girls and a boy."

"Wow how exciting."

"I know. I have a 4 year old boy and a 22 month old step daughter so it will kind of even it up."

"Kids are the joy of my life. I have a 6 and 4 year old. I love them to bits."

"Well I love my kids as well. Even though 3 of them aren't born yet I still love them."

"Who's this little boy here?"

"Oh this is Cooper. He is my son." Meredith says.

"His absolutely gorgeous. Do you have any more kids?"

"Yeah a 4 year old daughter. My daughter and Steph's son are best friends. We are sure they are going to get married."

The assistant just laughs.

"So here we are. Do you have any preferences colour, shape?"

"I am a bit unsure about getting separate cribs or one that will accommodate all 3."

"Okay, well if you have a small nursery than a bigger one will accommodate all three until they are about 6 months. Or the smaller cribs can work just as well but a lot of parents buy the one crib for them and come back later when the kids are bigger."

"Yeah well I like the idea of the one crib and if I want can get the smaller one for the boy and the bigger one for the girls."

"Yes, yes. That is a nice idea. I will leave you to decide and be back soon."

Steph just nods her head.

"Both my kids had the normal rectangle crib but the circular ones are popular and it does have the larger size for multiples."

"Yeah I don't know if I could fit 3 babies in this crib. It seems too small. This is too hard to choose." She says crying.

"Well we don't have to choose today. You have a few more months to go." Meredith says trying to comfort her.

"I know but we decided on getting the shopping done quickly just in case I am put on bed rest or deliver early. It will be there for when we are ready."

"Okay well instead of choosing the cot why don't you go for car seats and prams and the smaller things."

"Yeah okay." She says. "Sorry, I'm so hormonal it's not funny."

"Its fine your carrying 3 babies and your hormones are all over the place just breath and you will be fine."

She takes a few moments.

"Okay I think we will get the separate cribs for them all. I will send Dan a picture on the one I like."

Steph browses the cribs and chooses the one she likes. The white rectangular crib. The most modern ones.

"I like that one Steph. Very simple."

"Yeah that's what I'm looking for."

Dan had agreed on the crib and the shop assistant came back.

"So have we made a choice?"

"Yeah my husband and I have decided on the single ones for them all. It will be easier in the long run."

"Great decision. Which crib?"

"This one here."

"Oh yes that one is very popular. I will go and put that through the system you continue browsing."

When she left Steph pulled out her list.

"Okay I'm going to buy furniture today and we can buy the other bits and pieces later."

"So dressers?"

"Yeah I'm just trying to think of the size of them and how much room we will have left over."

"What room are you using?"

"Well we have a big enough house and enough rooms to accommodate for them all I was thinking of one of the spare rooms as a nursery then we have the room for everything but for the first few months we were going to use the joining nursery for the basinets and we can transfer them over."

"Why don't you just use Zoe's old cot as the bed in that room. It saves you from spending money on something that they will grow out of straight away and it's only temporary."

"Yeah I suppose."

Steph had decided on furniture for the nursery. From the change table, to the dressers and the rocking chair along with the cribs.

"While you are here why don't you check out the pram and car seats?" Meredith suggests.

"Okay I guess we can have it ordered in case they don't have it here."

"Yes we are planning everything a head of time."

Meredith was glad she wasn't in this position. Having to buy multiples of everything. It was so much hard work trying to think of everything that you could get and try and get it to accommodate triplets and the way their lives were going to change was crazy. Shopping for one baby was enough.

"Okay I have the pram ready on order and the car seats I have ready to be delivered when the furniture arrives. The pram should be ready then as well. I only really have to worry about is clothes, linen, travel cot, toys and those other bits and pieces."

"I don't know how you do it. I mean you have so much things to get. I struggled with only one baby."

"Once you do your research you are fine. I mean buying for Sam was easy." She says. "Oh I still have Zoe's travel cot so I can cross that off the list."

Meredith just shook her head. "I need to get Coopie some clothes. The cooler months are setting in and he will need some."

"Okay I was going to look for baby clothing as well."

With the stroll over to the clothes Steph grabbed a trolley and Meredith sat Cooper in the baby seat.

"Are you doing the colour schemes for the ABC's or the same?"

"Not the same. I was thinking blue or green for the boy and with the two girls I will see the range of colours and the same colours in the same product."

"Well they are due in July. The middle of winter and they are newborns. I'm pretty sure they will get away with being in onesies for that long."

"Yeah but just in case we have somewhere special to attend."

"They will still get away with being in onesies believe me. I still dress Coopie in them."

"Yeah but that baby has style I mean the amount of cool clothing he has he is a stylish baby."

"That's only because of his stylish mother."

Steph just laughs. "Yeah well Sam looked funny in onesies when he was older than 7 months. I had to start dressing him in clothes when he was 4 months."

"Well that will give you plenty of time to mix colours."

"Thank god your here. That's all I'm saying."

...

After baby shopping they had a quick lunch. Meredith dropped Steph off so she could pick Sam up and Meredith went and picked Kaylee up to.

"Do you want to see Jackson baby?"

"Yes please mummy." Kaylee said.

Pulling up outside instead of jumping out of her seat ready to jump from the car she just sat there. She let her out of the car and she stayed beside it waiting for Meredith to get Cooper out. Together they walked up to the front door and walked inside.

"Hello?" Meredith called out.

"We're in the lounge room."

Heading through to the lounge room Jackson was on the lounge besides Jasmine. Richard was on the arm chair.

"Hey sweetie."

"Hi Richard."

"Hi Kaylee." He said.

"Hi."

"Come here to poppy and tell me what's wrong."

She slowly walked towards him and he picked her up onto his lap and hug her tightly.

"What's wrong baby girl?"

"I'm so tired."

"Why?"

"Because I have been worried about everything and everyone."

"Well everyone is fine baby. You don't have to be worried anymore. How about we pop a movie on and you can watch it and have a rest."

She nodded her head and Richard went and sat her besides Jackson. He started the movie then went into the kitchen.

"How are you holding up?"

"I'm good."

"Are you resting?"

"Yeah as much as I can. I just helped Steph baby shop. That was interesting."

"Just trying to buy everything?"

"Yeah and tripling everything for them all. I thought one baby was enough."

"Well with society now they expect you to buy all these things for your kids."

"Well most of these things come in handy I just mean I'm glad I only have singles."

"Yes I know."

"How's Jackson and Jasmine?"

"They are good. Grounded for a long while."

"Then why is Jasmine here?"

"Because she is part of the family."

"Oh I see. Are you going back to work today?"

"Yes I asked for a long lunch so I could bring them home and then I am heading back to deal with paperwork."

"Sounds like fun."

"Paper work is always fun." He says smiling.

"Why don't you go for a lie down? I'm sure you are exhausted."

"I collapsed because of exhaustion. I am fine but I will go and watch the movie with Kaylee."

"Yeah well I have to be getting back you stay as long as you want."

"Thank you."

They walked into the lounge room and Kaylee as asleep. Her head was on Jacksons lap and her body sprawled across the empty seat.

The poor girl was exhausted because she was worrying.

...

Cooper waking had woken Meredith up and she saw what time it was. She woke Kaylee up and the three of them headed home. Kaylee headed off into the lounge room and Cooper followed her.

She hit the answering machine and listened to the message.

"_Hi sweetie, I should be home around 8 tonight. Just letting you know. Don't wait up for dinner, make me some but don't wait. I'll see you soon."_

He would be home earlier today. He was going to be home at 11 but this time was good. He could kiss the kids goodnight and then they could be put to bed and they could have some alone time.

"Hey Kaylee what do you feel like for dinner?" Meredith asked walking into the lounge room.

"I don't mind mummy."

"So how about chicken salad?"

"Sounds yummy mummy."

"Okay I'm going to start dinner now and daddy should be home just before you go to bed as well."

"Really mummy?"

"Yes sweetie."

"Good. He can read me my bedtime story."

"We both can. How about you come into the kitchen and draw for a while."

She gathered her crayons, paper and colouring books and walked into the kitchen. Meredith grabbed Cooper and sat him in the jumper so she could keep an eye on him. After dinner she quickly cleaned up the dinner plates and then fed Cooper. He fell asleep which she wasn't hoping for but that gave her time to bath Kaylee.

"Come on sweetie bath time and it's just you tonight. Your little brother decided to sleep."

"Coopie is silly sometimes mummy."

"Yes he is."

Drawing the bath she put Kaylee in and watched her play for a while before washing her and taking her out. Derek still wasn't home and it was almost 8. She dressed her and took her to bed.

"Where's daddy, he's supposed to be here."

"He must have gotten tied up. It happens."

"I know."

"Do you want me to read you a bedtime story?"

"No its okay mummy. I can read one myself. I'm a big girl and practicing my reading is good especially since I'm going to kindergarten next year."

"Yes reading is a very big girl thing. You sure you don't want me to read you one."

"I'm sure mummy."

"Okay." She says tucking her in. "Goodnight sweetie. I'll see you in the morning."

"Do you have class tomorrow?"

"No I don't."

"Good. Night mummy."

"Night baby."

She left her room and went into her bathroom and drew the bath for herself. She needed to unwind. She headed downstairs into the lounge room to check Cooper. He was awake as soon as she dropped the remote.

"Oh you're up now. How about you come and have a bath with mummy."

She takes Cooper out from the rocker and caries him upstairs to her bathroom. She undresses Cooper then herself and turns the tap off and climbs in with Cooper. This is something she hadn't done with Cooper before. She used to always have a bath with Kaylee when she was about 3 months old until she was about 12 months. She wished she had bathed with Cooper earlier but life was always too busy or bathing him with Kaylee was easier as well.

After 20 minutes in the tub she was feeding Cooper. Derek still wasn't home. Every while or so she would splash his body with the warm water that was in the tub to stop him from freezing but yet again the water was up to his body.

Derek walked through the door at quarter to 9. He knew where everyone was so he headed upstairs. He stopped by Kaylee's room. Her lamp was still on but she was asleep. He placed the reading book on the bedside table then tucked her in. He kissed her forehead and turned the lamp off and headed to his room. He saw the flickering candle light from the bathroom so he pushed the door and walked in where he saw his wife and baby sitting together. Cooper was asleep across her chest.

"Hi your home."

"Yes I am. Let me take him for you." Derek said taking Cooper from her.

He dressed him and put him to bed. He walked into the bedroom and saw Meredith changing. He done the same and climbed into bed. Meredith fiddled around with a few things before climbing into bed. It was early but he knew that they would talk for a few hours before the light went out.

"How was your day?" He asked.

"I went baby shopping with Steph. Promise me this, we are never having multiples. I mean the stuff you have to buy is ridiculous."

"Yes I know."

"And also Steph asked if we would like to be god parents."

"To the one or the three?"

"She said the three."

"Wow that would make three more kids if they passed."

"Plus Sam and Zoe."

"Houseful of kids. We are going to need to build that castle."

"Yeah we talked about it and how she would become guardian to the next baby but I realised that we haven't really got all that sorted. I know your mum would get the kids but we haven't got that written in writing just in case it happens because you know working at the hospital how a split second can tear a family apart."

"Well my next day off we can organise it. I know what you mean how it is important but I would have preferred doing after we have the other kids just so we don't have to keep going back."

"All it really it is just a phone call to change it. It will be the best decision and we have that there because you never know what could happen to us in the next few hours or so."

"I know."

"So how was your day?"

"Good. Most of the kids were released today."

"That's good."

He just nodded.

"I just thought if we become guardians to Sam, Zoe and the triplets."

"The ABC's."

"What?"

"Steph and Dan have picked out 3 names Alyssa, Bowen and Carleigh."

"Yeah what about it."

"Okay Alyssa starts with A, Bowen starts with B and Carleigh starts with C. ABC."

"Oh so we have the ABC's. I get you now." He says. "Getting back, the ABC's will make 5 kids then there will be Kaylee, Cooper and then our other two that makes 9 kids. That means Minibuses and huge houses."

"Derek we will manage."

"You say you only want 4 kids but if we get the 5 then that's 10. That's one big family."

"Sure is but we will love them if they do become our own. Even if they don't we are still going to love them."

"Just like our other possible children." He says rubbing her tummy.

"I'm not carrying any now."

"I know but I'm just imagining what we will have next and what they will look like."

"Hopefully a little girl who looks like Kaylee but has a different personality."

"I hope all of them have different personalities to each other so we can have a big family with however many kids with all their big personalities."

"I'm sure we will. They are all related to the Shepherd's and your sisters all have different personalities."

"They sure do. That's what I hope for."

"Hmm that hopefully will happen."

He kissed her cheek and snuggled in beside her.

"Night sweetie."

"Night."

**What'd you thin, let me know. Next chapter is Valentine's Day which they end up spending in the emergency room for. **


	39. Some Things Don't Go To Plan

**Here is the next chapter sorry about the wait. **

**Enjoy….**

That Friday was the day before Valentine's Day. Derek had a huge surprise for Meredith but she didn't know what it was. She was against the whole idea and said it was just another reason for people to spend money on their loved ones. It was a stupid idea in her book.

Derek knew she hated this but being their first Valentine's Day married he had booked reservations at her favourite restaurant and the evening kid free. It was just going to be them for about 15 hours alone together. Something that they needed considering half the time they never spent 15 hours of the day together. He told her it was going to be kid free and that was it.

"Okay I'm off to work. I'll be back tonight." He said that morning.

"Sure. I'll see you then."

He kissed her goodbye then left the house. It was only 6 o'clock. She rolled over and closed her eyes.

"Come on Kaylee time to get up."

Kaylee gradually got up out of bed and followed Meredith downstairs. Meredith made her breakfast and herself some as well.

Driving towards the preschool Kaylee seemed uninterested.

"Hey baby what's wrong?" She said looking in the rear view mirror.

"I don't feel like preschool today."

"Why's that?"

"I don't know. I'm just tired I guess and I don't feel too well."

"Okay well it's only for a few hours. If you don't feel well then you tell your teacher okay?"

"Okay mummy."

They pulled up outside the preschool. Meredith had to drop and run. Letting Kaylee out of the car then taking her bag from the boot. She placed it on her back.

"Okay I will see you this afternoon. Nanna is picking you up." She bent down and hugged her and kissed her goodbye. "Have fun."

Kaylee waved goodbye to her as she walked in with some other kids.

"Okay Coopie now time for school." She says as she starts the car and heads off again.

Meredith had school today for the whole day and Kaylee had preschool for half the day. She would spend half the day at preschool then the rest of the day at Carolyn's. Derek had a day at the hospital until around 6 pm. And little Cooper had the day being at his mummy's side all day.

After school Meredith went to the shops and picked up a present for Derek because she had a gut feeling he would buy her something for Valentine's Day. So with Cooper they went searching for a small gift. Cooper was on her hip as they went shopping.

"I don't know what to get him." She says.

After 10 minutes of looking she felt kind of sick from all the cliché type gifts. She went by the perfumes and colognes and remembered that at Christmas he liked the cologne that she bought him. So finding the same bottle she purchased it along with something's for them tomorrow night even though she had no idea what was happening. It was a just in case thing that might happen.

"Come on baby let's get going."

Paying for the items they left to go and pick Kaylee up.

"Hi Carolyn." Meredith says walking through the front door with Cooper.

"Hi Meredith. Hello baby." She says to Cooper.

Cooper holds his arms out for Carolyn to take him. She leads them into the lounge room where Kaylee is drawing and Amelia is besides her colouring as well. Even though she is in year 9 and 14 years old she still enjoys arts and crafts with her 4 year old niece.

"Hi Kaylee." Meredith says.

Kaylee looks up and smiles. "Hi mummy."

"Do you want a tea or a coffee?"

"No I'm fine."

"Anything to eat?"

"No I'm fine."

"Okay. So for tomorrow Derek has told me that I am babysitting the kids."

"Yeah that's what he has told me as well. I'm not really sure why so it's all a surprise."

"Well knowing Derek he has an extravagant surprise for you."

"But I really hate surprises."

"Well you know Derek. He loves them."

"All I would want from him is a foot message. That's all not a huge fancy dinner and romantic evening."

Carolyn just laughed.

"You know what he has planned don't you?"

"I'm not saying."

"Oh please tell me what he told you."

"Nope sorry you'll just have to wait and see."

"I don't want to wait. I suck at waiting."

"Well it is your first Valentine's day married so think about that."

"Yeah I suppose. I just don't want him to outdo himself because I'm waiting for the honeymoon where he can outdo himself."

"Talking about your honeymoon what day are you going again?"

"Well it's about the week before Coopie's birthday. We leave for 13 days, the week before his birthday and we get back the day before his birthday."

"So the birthday party. When are you going to have that?"

"We are thinking that weekend because that Monday I start my internship and Derek is a resident so we will have it that day."

"Well you better get planning."

"We have 4 and a half months to wait. We have a while to wait."

"Well early planning is best."

"Yeah I suppose. Anyway I will wait I guess. A lot of things are soon to happen then. Nancy's having a baby. Steph's having her triplets. There will be everything happening so we will wait."

"Okay well remember I am a phone call away."

"Yes I do." She says. "Anyway we better be going."

"Okay. Come on Kaylee your going home now."

Kaylee quickly finished drawing while Carolyn passed Cooper back to Meredith and started packing her bag.

"Bye Amy." Kaylee says hugging her.

"Bye Peanut. I will see you tomorrow night."

"Can we play babies tomorrow?"

"We can play whatever you want. I'm your favourite aunty so I'm going to let you choose what we want."

Kaylee picked up her drawing and went over to Carolyn kissing and hugging her goodbye.

"We'll see you tomorrow." Meredith says letting Kaylee lead the way out of the front door.

"Yes we will." Meredith says leaving with the kids.

"So what are we doing tomorrow night?" She asks that night when Derek is home.

"Well it's a surprise."

"Yeah you know I hate surprises."

"Well I promise you will enjoy it and I mean enjoy it." He says kissing her.

"You promise?"

"When do I ever break my promises?"

"Never." She says.

He smiles before kissing her again.

"Night sweetie." He says turning the light off.

"Night."

...

"Happy Valentine's Day." Derek whispers in her ear that morning, walking his fingers over her shoulders and leaning down to kiss her cheek.

"You know I hate this day." She murmurs.

"Well you won't hate it after tonight. You'll be screaming for it and counting down for it every year." He says.

"Hmm that better be true. Cause I need something to count down to every year besides our kid's birthdays, your birthday and all our family and friends birthdays." She says sitting up.

He sits up beside her and hands her a present.

She opened the box with a pair of silver earrings inside.

"Oh they are gorgeous. Thank you." She says kissing him.

"No problem, I love spoiling you."

She reached into the drawer beside her and handed him the present she bought yesterday.

"Oh thank you."

"That's okay."

"I can give you a clue about tonight." He says.

"Yes please."

"Well formal wear is to be worn to this place."

"Somewhere fancy and expensive I like."

"And we are to leave this house at ten to 7 so we can drop the kids off and then head to this destination for 7.30."

"Okay then I can do that."

"Good." He says agreeing. "So what do we want to do for the day?"

"Well I don't really mind. Kaylee will want to do something considering your home. So maybe a family day to the park or something."

Sparrow had jumped onto the bed and curled up around Meredith's chest.

"Um I know what we can do." He says.

"Derek no, the kids will be up soon." She says. "And besides that's for tonight."

"Yeah, yeah I know." He says. "We can maybe just stay here. Build a cubby house and have a picnic and do whatever she feels like."

"Sounds like a good idea." She says smiling at him. "That reminds me, Peanut will want her breakfast."

"We'll I will go do that before the kids wake up."

He kisses her again and leaves the room. Meredith stays on the bed with Sparrow curled around her chest.

"You find the weirdest positions to sleep in don't you boy."

Derek was back in 20 minutes with coffee for the two of them.

"Oh and I think Coopie is up." Meredith says. "I can hear him blabbering away on the baby monitor."

"I will go and get him."

Leaving the room he walks into the nursery and arrives in the bedroom with Cooper.

"Hello baby." Meredith says as Derek places him on the bed.

His crawling had gotten him into everything that he could reach, so everything breakable or worth of value was placed higher because he also raced Kaylee, Peanut and Sparrow around the house and got really clumsy and hit everything with his legs or arms or his bottom.

Cooper crawled besides Meredith and he used her as a support to stand up.

"You're getting game aren't you?" She says to him.

Cooper looks at her wondering why she hasn't picked him up yet and started feeding him. He then looked at Sparrow and saw his tail. Lucky that Sparrow was so nice and gentle he didn't care about Cooper tugging his tail. Sparrow looked at Cooper and laid back down. Cooper didn't like people not giving him attention so he tried to get his attention again by tugging harder.

"Cooper he is going to bite you." Derek says.

Cooper keeps annoying him and Sparrow finally looks up at him then climbs off Meredith's chest and gets off the bed leaving the room. Cooper doesn't care about him leaving because now Meredith could feed him.

"Come here Coopie since you kicked Sparrow off." Meredith picked him up and kissed his cheek.

"Would you like breakfast?" He asks.

"I'll be happy with raisin toast."

"Well that is coming right up."

Derek left the room and Meredith looked at Cooper.

"Do you know what daddy has planned for today?" She asks him.

He just looks at her before wrapping his arms around her neck giving her a sign that he wants to be fed.

...

"So daddy how are we going to build this?" She asks looking at the pile of blankets, sheets and pillows.

"Well we have to find something that is big enough and then you build it however you want."

"Oh okay. Can we use the lounge room; use the entryway was the door?"

"That's a good idea."

They finally had finished building the cubby house.

"Mummy quick come have a look." Kaylee said grabbing her hand.

Meredith stood in front of the doorway.

"Come on in." Kaylee says dragging her inside.

"Wow this is amazing. It looks very comfy sweetie."

"Well that's what we wanted to do so we can all be comfortable and be able to lie down and do whatever we want."

"Well let me grab Coopie and we can start."

"No need to. He is over there." She says pointing to the pile of pillows and the passed out baby.

"Did he get tired helping?"

"Yes he did."

"Well then let me grab my camera and take a photo of him so we can show Nanna and everyone else."

They spent the day inside the cubby. It wasn't romantic like it should have been but it was a nice family day. They placed board games, ate lunch, read stories, made up stories, told stories and finished off the afternoon with an afternoon nap all together.

...

"So sweetie what do you think." Meredith said modelling her dress for Kaylee.

"You look like a princess. A really really really beautiful princess."

"Well thank you. Let me say that you are a beautiful princess as well."

"So what are you doing with your hair?"

"Well what do you think a pretty princess like mummy should have?"

"Have it wavy."

Meredith done her hair.

"Like this?"

"Yes. Now for you make up."

She started applying her makeup and Cooper crawled inside.

"Coopie no boys allowed." Kaylee says.

"His alright Kaylee boys under the age of 21 are allowed in this room."

Kaylee looked at her confused.

"Don't worry." Meredith replies laughing.

Cooper sat besides Meredith. Kaylee was sitting on the basin.

"Mummy I think Cooper wants to get up."

"Well I won't be able to hold him so he will have to stay down there."

"Do you want me take him to daddy?"

"Yes please."

"Come on Coopie?" Kaylee said getting down off the basin.

She picked him up as best she could and went to find Derek.

"Daddy."

"Yes Kaylee."

"Can you come and get Coopie."

Derek collected Cooper and brought him downstairs to the kitchen. Derek was dressed and ready to go. He even had the kids packed and ready to go with their gear in the car. He brought Cooper downstairs into the lounge room. Derek at the table reading the paper and Cooper amused himself with a toy.

"Do you want some food?"

Cooper looked at him and went and pulled a bar out from the cupboard. Opening the bar he handed it to him. Derek then remembered that he needed to grab the medicine to pack into the baby bag for Cooper and Kaylee. Grabbing a chair he moved it by the cupboard and climbed up it. Cooper crawled over to the chair and started trying to climb up it. Derek searching the cupboard knocked one of the bottles of medicine and it fell. Hitting Cooper's head. Derek reacting as quickly as possible jumped down off the chair and picked him up. His forehead was bleeding and it looked quite deep.

Meredith and Kaylee walked into the kitchen just as it happened.

"God is he alright?" Meredith says

"I don't know."

Meredith disappeared and Kaylee just stood there not knowing what to do.

"Daddy."

"Yeah sweetie."

"Will Coopie be okay?"

"Yes he will. He might just need to go to the hospital."

They arrived at the hospital. Derek had let them know that they were on their way in the car. They also let Carolyn know what had happened. She had Braden, Maddie and Lacey so she couldn't leave the house.

Pulling up in the ER Derek got out of the car with Cooper. Meredith parking the car got Kaylee and they headed inside.

"So what's happening?" She asks.

"The plastic surgeon is on his way down."

"Why the plastic surgeon?"

"So he doesn't have an awful scar."

"The scar will slowly disappear."

"Yes but at least this one will hardly be recognisable."

They waited and waited. Kaylee was getting bored so she was watching a movie on Meredith's phone.

"Sorry about our dinner plans." She says.

"That's fine. I suppose it was kind of my fault."

"Derek these things happen."

"Yeah I know, I just wish I didn't."

"So are you going to tell me where we were going?"

"Well we were going to that really fancy restaurant down near the wharf. Tonight was formal wear night due to it being Valentine's Day."

"I'm sorry we missed it."

"That is fine. After dinner we were going to go for a walk down the pier to watch the ferry boats before we came home for a romantic evening of anything you wanted." He says leaning in and kissing her.

"Sounds amazing but you know what I don't mind being with the kids."

An hour past and the plastic surgeon finally arrived.

"Hi Derek what seems to be the problem?"

"Well my son Cooper had an accident. I accidently knocked a medicine bottle onto him. He was climbing the chair I was and I knocked it and it hit him in the head."

"Okay well I will have a look at what we can do." He says.

He checks his forehead.

"Okay he will need about 5 stiches. I will be back. Excuse me."

"See he will be fine." Derek says to Meredith.

Cooper was getting tired.

"I think he will be asleep before his forehead is even stitched up." Meredith says.

He held his arms up for Meredith to pick him up.

"Can I hold him?" She asks as the plastic surgeon comes back.

"Yeah sure. Do you have a bottle for him?"

"In the car we do."

"Well I will let you feed him while I stitch him up because he looks as if he is about to pass out."

"Yeah I think he is." Meredith says. "Can you get Kaylee's pyjamas as well?"

"Sure."

"I'll wait if you want."

"Yes please."

"Mummy how much longer are we going to be here?"

"What's your name sweetie?"

"Kaylee."

"Well Kaylee I'm Dr Roberts and I work with your daddy. I'm hoping to be another hour and then you can go home to bed."

"Okay."

"How old are you Kaylee?"

"4."

"Wow, do you go to preschool?"

"Yes I do. I go with my best friend Sam. His mummy is having triplets. 2 girls and a boy. And Sam's mummy got married to Dan so now Dan is Sam's daddy. And Sam's knew daddy has a daughter Zoe who is Sam's baby sister. I'm also starting ballet with my cousin Claire and Caitlin next week. I have 6 cousins and I am second oldest. Cooper is the youngest out of all of them but he won't be for long when my aunty Nancy has her baby in June. I have 5 Aunt's and 3 uncles. Mummy has a brother and a sister and daddy has 4 sisters. But then I have other aunts and uncles who aren't actually my real ones but we call them that." She rambles.

"And my mummy and daddy are going to build a castle out at the land. That's where I was born. And we are going to live out there with my other siblings and have a happily ever after."

Kaylee keeps talking to Dr Roberts and Meredith just shakes her head at him. He smiles back.

"Okay Kaylee that's enough sweetie."

"Sorry mummy."

"No its fine you ramble like me and talk like your father." She tells her. "Finish watching that movie if you want."

"It's finished."

"We'll start another one."

"Okay."

"Sorry about that. I sometimes think she is a 15 year old the way she talks."

"No its fine. My god son is exactly the same."

Derek came back and handed Meredith a bottle and she laid Cooper down on the bed and started feeding him. Derek helped changed Kaylee into her pyjamas. Dr Roberts also started stitching Cooper's forehead.

"You guys came in at the best time."

"Why's that."

"Well Derek when you work the Valentine's Day shift you get some weird cases coming in."

"Oh that's disgusting." Derek says realising what he meant.

"Yeah it really is." He says. "I see that you two were not planning on being here tonight."

"Yeah we had dinner reservations without the kids. My mum was going to watch the two of them but that kind of changed."

"Well at least you wore your clothes somewhere."

...

"Okay you are all good to go home. Bring him by in 5 or so days and I can take them out." Dr Roberts says.

"Thank you."

"Just page me when you are ready and I can be down in a tick to take them out."

"Okay so is there anything to avoid."

"Just avoid wetting his stitches. And I know how babies can touch and rip them so a bandage over them will avoid that."

"Okay thank you so much."

"It's fine. I will see you in 5 days."

Meredith settled Cooper over her shoulder and Derek picked Kaylee up from the bed and placed her over his shoulder.

They arrived home putting the kids to bed. It was just after 10.30. The two of them changed from their evening wear and hung out down in the lounge room. The cubby that they built earlier that day was still standing. Derek grabbed some alcohol for the two of them and they went and sat in the cubby.

"Let me say that this was the best Valentine's Day I have ever had." She says.

"Are you kidding me they will get better a lot better and when we don't have babies getting hit with medicine bottles and ending up in the ER then they will be great and I will make sure of that." He says leaning in and kissing her.

"So I suppose we have just over an hour and a half left of the day and that could lead to some very amazing celebrating of our love."

"A celebration of our love? That's what our anniversary is for."

"Well can we just do the sex thing instead of having this conversation?"

"Sure." She says. "Just one thing you better top this Valentine's Day next year."

"Oh just you wait."

**Okay this one I thought was a nice filler just saying that things don't always go to plan.**

**Anyway let me know what you thought. **

**I am always at the moment having been banking many chapters up because I haven't gotten the chance to and at the moment I am writing another story and I have almost finished that and as soon as I finish it I will post in and hopefully you like it. **

**Next chapter is Kaylee's first day at ballet.**


	40. Life Can Do Terrible Things

**Sorry about the wait I was on a school excursion and had to work and a thousand other things came up, yeah no excuse but I am sorry. **

**Here is the next chapter and hopefully you enjoy.**

"Mummy, mummy I start ballet today." Kaylee says running and jumping on the bed waking her up.

Rolling over sighing she wishes she had had another 20 minutes of sleep but when Kaylee was excited about something she would never sleep and would be up as early as she could.

"Yeah I know sweetie but that isn't for a while. We have most of the day to do whatever." Meredith says to her daughter.

"Yeah well we can't be late."

"Sweetie I assure you a whole lot we won't be late. We have all day. If it makes you happy we will leave earlier then I was going to." She says to Kaylee as she settles herself besides Meredith.

"Okay mummy."

"Do you want to watch cartoons?" She asks Kaylee.

"Yes."

Meredith turns the TV on and flicks to the cartoons. Kaylee sits there watching. Meredith takes the time to read for med school.

"Hey mummy."

"Yeah?"

"What are you reading about?"

"Oh I am reading over my notes for the OBGYN section of my courses."

"What is that?"

"Well it is the branch of medical science concerned with childbirth and caring for woman in childbirth."

"So does that mean woman having babies and babies."

"Yes it does. How do you remember that?"

"Well I remember when Coopie was in your tummy and going to the hospital with you to have him checked by the baby doctor or the OBGYN. I remember seeing Coopie on that special machine."

"The ultrasound."

"Yeah that and she had the special wand and moved in over your tummy to see Coopie and his heartbeat filled the room and you and daddy cried."

"That was the first time we heard his heartbeat. It's a special time."

"Really?"

"Yeah it tells us that the baby is healthy and he is developing well. Ultrasounds are pretty important and are very helpful."

"Do you still have my scans from when I was in your tummy?"

"Yeah I think so. I'll go and have a look. Stay here. It will help me with this studying."

Meredith disappearing downstairs into the study. She was trying to remember where she put all the scans from both kids. Pulling out a box off one of the shelves she opens the lid and sees everything from her pregnancies with Kaylee and Cooper. She carried it upstairs to her bedroom.

"Here we go sweetie."

Kaylee took the lid off the box.

"We have everything in here. Ultrasounds, scans, DVD's, doctors notes, your hospital tags, photos of Coopie just after he was born and a little bit of everything else from my pregnancies."

Kaylee pulled out one of the scans.

"That is Coopie's 24 week scan. They took scans of the heart, legs, internal organs, limbs just to see if everything was going fine." She tells her. "They also took a 3D ultrasound so you could see a 3 dimensional image of him." Meredith says handing it to her.

"These are cool mummy."

"They sure are." She takes the DVD from one of Kaylee's scans out. "Do you want to watch this? It's of you in my tummy."

"Okay mummy."

Meredith took her laptop and put the disc into the drive and started the video.

She pointed out everything to her.

"That there is your foot. Your daddy and I didn't want to know what you were. So she skipped she turned the screen away from us but seeing it now I can see that I was expecting a girl."

"Why didn't you and daddy want to know?"

"Well we wanted a surprise so that meant not finding out what you were."

They watch the video of Kaylee then returned to the other items in the box.

"Mummy why isn't there any photos of me after I was born like there is of Coopie?"

"Well because you were born at the land we didn't have the camera on us so we couldn't take any photos of you just after you were born."

"That's kind of disappointing."

"Yeah it is but we have photos of you and being held for the first time by daddy, Charlie, Jackson and nanna and all you're other aunties and uncles."

"Mummy next time you are pregnant and having a baby can I be in the delivery room?"

"Why's that?"

"It would be an experience and I would like to see my siblings being born."

"Well I think that I am more than happy with you being in there that's only if you want to because there is a lot of screaming and a lot of yucky stuff."

"Mummy I don't care about the yucky stuff because I'm thinking of becoming a surgeon."

"Well that is great. Remember we don't care what you become."

"I know mummy but I want to save people just like daddy does."

"Well like I said that is great."

"Can we get some breakfast mummy?"

"Of course."

Kaylee gets up off the bed.

"Can you check Coopie please?"

"Yes."

Meredith tidying up everything places the box on the ground.

"He's up mummy."

"Okay thank you."

She skips away while Meredith walks into the nursery.

"Morning baby boy. How'd you sleep?" She says taking him from the cot. "Yeah good, that's very good. Do you want some breakfast?"

He nods his head and she takes him downstairs getting breakfast ready. Toast for Kaylee and porridge for Cooper. Setting him in the high chair and bringing it forward she starts feeding him.

"Is that good Coopie?" Kaylee asks.

"Yeah it is. Yeah. Yeah." Meredith says making silly noises to him.

Cooper smiles with porridge all over his face. Kaylee kisses his cheek.

"You're a silly boy Coopie." Kaylee says to him. "I'm finished."

"Okay put your plate on the sink."

She finished feeding Cooper, wiping his face and taking him out of the highchair she let him go and play while she had something to eat and played with the kids, also doing housework.

It was just after 11 o'clock when there was a knock at the door.

"Stay here Kaylee." Meredith said as she left the lounge room to open the front door.

Opening the door to a young woman, a 4 year old and a baby.

"Billie. Hi, I didn't even recognise you." Meredith says kissing her cheek.

"Yeah well I have changed a lot. I wanted to stop by and see you and introduce you to my kids."

"Come on in." Meredith says. They walk inside and she shuts the door behind them. "Come on into the lounge room."

Billie sits on the lounge and Boyd sits beside her.

"Kaylee come over here." Meredith says. Kaylee walks over to her standing between her legs. "This is Billie she was here a little while ago and this is Boyd and Asher."

"Hi."

"Hi Kaylee its very nice to meet you." Billie says.

Cooper had crawled over to Meredith and Kaylee. Meredith lifted him and sat him on her lap.

"My god Cooper has gotten so much bigger."

"Yeah he has." She replies. "Kaylee do you want to take Boyd outside to the play equipment?"

"Okay. Come on Boyd." Boyd looks up at his mum unsure at what to do.

"Its fine sweetie. Kaylee will look after you."

The two left.

"God you look good. I don't want to insult you but your skin looks healthy, your hair, your weight, you're looking a lot more healthier."

"Thank you and no I won't take it into offence. Rehab has helped me a lot and Nina and Jas have as well."

"Jasmine is a good girl."

"Yeah she never gave up on me even when she should have."

"Well she is a special girl. I would love to have her as a sister."

Asher started getting unsettled.

"Oh sweetie what's wrong?" Billie says trying to settle her.

"Try feeding her." Meredith suggests.

Billie reaches into the bag and takes out a bottle and starts feeding her.

"Sorry I'm not used to this."

"No its fine. How long have you had the kids for?"

"Well I had Asher for 2 weeks before social services took her away from me. I needed to go on rehabilitation programs and prove myself to be clean and have a stable home for the kids. So I have been in rehab and been in meetings and programs and other things like interviews and I don't know so many other things." She explains. "So I got them back about 2 weeks ago. Boyd came straight back into my arms, like he remembered me and Asher she has been with an amazing foster family. They did well."

"Well I think you are doing well. I'm so proud of you."

Billie smiled. Cooper had also noticed Asher. He stared at her.

"Coopie there's no need to stare it's just Asher." Meredith says walking over to sit by Billie's side. "She's a baby not an alien."

"Ma." Cooper says pointing.

"Yes Coopie."

"Do you have any idea what he just said?"

"Nope but I like to pretend." Meredith says smiling at him.

"He has grown so quickly."

"Yeah he is crawling and holding himself up. His getting very determined."

"What happened to his forehead?"

"Oh Saturday night Derek and I were going out for dinner and I was upstairs getting ready while Derek was watching him. Derek was in the medicine cupboard and Cooper was climbing up the chair. Derek knocked the bottle and it fell and spilt his head."

"Ouch."

"Yeah. Derek and I spent Valentine's Day in the emergency room."

"Well that's a memory to never forget."

"Yeah Derek is promising to top it next year."

"Of course he would."

Asher had finished her feed.

"Here pass her to me." Meredith says. "Oh look at you big girl."

Meredith settles her over her shoulder and starts patting her back.

"Your amazing with kids Meredith."

"It's just practice. I've had two of my own. Looked after my brother and sister."

"Yeah well I never got that. I was never determined to have kids this young but you know you fall into the wrong crowd and end up losing your virginity at 12 years old and have sex with men who are almost double your age. Then you get involved with drugs and alcohol and the baby happens."

"Can I ask a bit of a personal question?"

"Yeah."

"Were you drinking and taking drugs when you were pregnant?"

"With Boyd I wasn't, my second baby, my stillborn I did but Asher I didn't."

"Your stillborn was she a little girl or boy?"

"A girl. I called her Gemma."

"That's upsetting."

"Yeah but it's alright I have my two back in my arms."

"You still staying at your parents house?"

"Only for a little while longer. They are setting me up in a house. They are helping me with a job and looking after the kids."

"At least they came around."

"Yeah I'm so glad."

Meredith finished burping her and laid her down on the ground on her tummy. Cooper came beside her.

"Ma." He says pointing.

"Coopie that's Asher. Can you say Asher?" Meredith says.

"Ma." He says pointing to Meredith.

"Yes I'm your mumma."

"His just adorable. I really wish I didn't miss Boyd growing up."

"Well now you have Asher to watch grow up. You'll get to cherish these moments now and cherish them because before you know it they are getting ready to leave high school, moving out of home and going to uni and getting married and moving away."

"Yes I know. I wish they would just stay young."

"I know, I do as well."

"You and Derek are only young?"

"Yeah we are. We had Kaylee when we were 18."

"I was 14 when Boyd was born. 15 when Grace was born and now I'm 18 and had Asher when I was 17. Does it get easier?"

"Yes and no. Some days you wish you didn't have any of it but other days you have to pinch yourself to remind you about being surrounded by your husband and wonderful kids because sometimes it could all be over."

"Yeah I know. I know how it feels to have them taken away from you. It's horrible."

"It sure is."

They stayed for lunch with Boyd and Kaylee becoming friends and playing with one another. Billie was unsure with a lot of things on being a mother. She was overwhelmed with everything and just needed to talk to someone about everything because her parents weren't any help. So Meredith answered her questions as best as she could. Or she just shared her knowledge for what she has done in the past with Kaylee and Cooper.

"Bye Billie. Feel free to drop in whenever you want. I should most likely be here." Meredith says standing at the front door.

"Yeah I we will. It's Boyd's birthday in July so maybe you can all come for his birthday."

"Sounds awesome."

"Bye Kaylee."

"Say goodbye." Meredith whispers to her.

"Bye Billie, bye Boyd."

The three of them left and Meredith looked at her watch as they shut the front door and headed into the lounge room.

"So Kaylee we have a bit over an hour. What do you want to do?"

"I don't mind mummy. We can do what you want." Kaylee replied sweetly.

…

"Okay come on sweetie let's go to your first dance lesson." Meredith says holding her hand and holding Cooper as they walked into the studio.

There were all these little girls around Kaylee's age there in there leotards and with their jiffies on.

"Hi this must be Kaylee. I'm your teacher Leah." She says introducing herself. "It's very nice to meet you."

"Hi Leah." She says shyly.

"I'm Kaylee's mum Meredith."

"Yes I remember we spoke on the phone."

"So is she all good to go?"

"Yes she is. This class is all their very first time dancing so she's not alone."

"That's good."

"You can come in and watch today. I'm allowing all the parents to watch today because it is a lot like a meet and greet."

"Okay well I think I will stay."

"Good. We are heading in now so if you want to help her put her jiffies on and we can get started."

Meredith walked in behind Leah with Kaylee and Cooper. Sitting Kaylee on one of the benches she knelt on the ground and showed her how to put her jiffies on.

"Okay go on." Meredith said to her.

Kaylee ran off and joined in with all the other little girls. The parents of the girls all stayed as well. One of the parents sat down beside Meredith with a baby asleep in a sling. The lady looked at Meredith and Cooper and smiled.

"Hi." She said. "You've got a very cute baby."

"Thank you."

"How old is he?"

"7 months. Almost 8."

"What happened to his forehead?"

"Well long story short. On Saturday night, Valentine's Day I was getting ready with my little girl and this little one was with his father. He is getting the hang of climbing and walking so he was climbing the chair his father was on and his father knocked a bottle of cough medicine and it split his forehead."

"Ouch."

"Yeah but his a tough little boy."

"What's his name?"

"Cooper."

"Well this here is Leo."

"How old is Leo?"

"6 weeks old."

"That's adorable."

"Which one is your little girl?"

"Kaylee is the one with the curly dark hair and the blue eyes."

"Oh yes. She is gorgeous. Not looking a lot like you."

"No she is a lot like her father."

"My little girl is the same. Olivia has the blonde hair in the bun and the gorgeous blue eyes."

"Oh yes she is gorgeous. My name is Meredith."

"I'm Nat."

They spent the lesson talking while watching the girls.

Once the class had curtsied they had finished. Kaylee and Olivia came running over to their mum's.

"Hey sweetie did you like it?" Meredith asks.

"Yes I did. It was so fun."

"Liv did you like it?"

"Yes mum."

"Did you meet Kaylee?" Nat said.

"Yes I did. We got partnered up with each other."

"Well Liv if you're ready to go then we can go. Leo is due for his feed."

"Okay mum. Bye Kaylee see you next week."

"Bye Olivia." Kaylee says waving.

Changing Kaylee's shoes they headed off as well. Meredith grabbed onto her hand and they headed to the car.

Derek arrived home just after 6 that night. He was greeted by Kaylee prancing towards him and Cooper crawling. Derek bent down picking Kaylee up then picked Cooper up.

"How was ballet Kaylee?"

"Good daddy. I met a new girl called Olivia and she is really nice. Her mummy was talking to mummy while we were dancing."

"Wow that's good." He says carrying them into the kitchen. "What else happened at dancing?"

"Well we learnt basic positions like first, second and third and the others. We also done stretches and played little games. Leah is really nice."

"Is she your teacher?"

"Yeah she is."

"Well it sounds like a good day." He says placing her on the ground and watching her sit down on the chair.

He still had Cooper in his arms and he went over and kissed Meredith's cheek.

"Hey you." She says. "How was work?"

"I will tell you later."

"Okay." Meredith said. Knowing that he had a shit of a day. "Dinner should be ready in 5 minutes."

They sat down for dinner. Meredith fed Cooper while she ate.

"So guess who visited us today?"

"Who visited you?"

"Billie did. She got full custody of the kids 2 weeks ago so she came to visit with the kids and told me about her life in the past 5 years. It was amazing what she told me. She has been through a lot."

"Yeah she has. How is Asher?"

"Asher is adorable. She made goo ga noises all afternoon. Billie was just thrown into being a mother so quickly and she missed out on knowing what Asher's faults were and things like that so she was a little lost but I walked it through with her and once she got Asher happy she just laid on the floor making those noises."

"I'm glad she has the kids back."

"Yeah I know you can't imagine kids without their parents."

After dinner they cleaned up and bathed the kids. Just after 7.30 Derek took Kaylee up to bed and read her a story and tucked her in. Meredith still had Cooper up and was just about to feed him when Derek came back downstairs. He sat beside her and played with Cooper's foot. Peanut was curled up underneath his feet and Sparrow was asleep on the other lounge.

"So what happened today?"

"Halfway through rounds we got paged to the pit. There was an incoming trauma. These 2 cars had crashed. Inside one car was a man and the other car had a mum a dad and three kids who were 8, 6 and 2. The mum was pregnant as well. She was about 37 weeks. The man in the other car had had a heart attack at the wheel and went through a red light crashing into them. Head on. The kids were injured but not as badly as the parents. The attending's and the 6th year residents took the mum, dad and the man. The man shortly died during surgery." He says. "They were all wheeled off to surgery and the kids stayed down in the pit with us. We stitched them up and bandaged them up. Getting x-rays of them. We watched them and they were amazing kids. The eldest Thomas watched his younger sister Lucy and his brother Joel. He told me about their family and the new baby who was due and how he was excited."

"What happened next?"

"They delivered the baby in surgery because she was getting distressed. So they delivered a baby girl and brought her up to the NICU to check out and she was fine. I took the kids up to meet their baby sister with Mark. We let them sit beside her bed and hold her hand. The dad had unfortunately not made it and the mum was still in danger. They got everything under control and brought her to the ICU. They let the kids visit and she was so healthy and strong. We brought the new baby in and I took her out and held her up to the mum's face. The mum named her Emily Grace. The mum's name was Grace. We didn't say a word about her husband. We had to take the kids out of the room. They kissed her goodbye and the kids went down to the waiting room."

"The mum survived?"

"I haven't finished yet." He says. "I still had Emily in her room and she kissed her cheek and asked for Emily to be placed back in her crib. I placed her back in the crib and I turned and that's when I knew it she was hiding all the pain for one last chance to see her kids and say goodbye to them. She started flat lining. Calling a code I started resuscitation. After 15 minutes they called time of death. I was devastated. These four kids had just lost both of their parents in the same day. I turned to leave and I realised that Emily was still in the room. I took her out and down to the nursery. I made a phone call to the kids grandparents. They would be another 2 hours. I grabbed Emily and took her down to the waiting room to the kids. I let them hold her and I sat there and told them to be brave, that something had happened. I told them that their mum had just died and their father died just after Emily was born. Thomas pulled the kids into his arms. I knew Joel wouldn't understand but Thomas wrapped his arms around them as tightly as possible. I stayed with them all day until their grandparents arrived. They didn't cry they kept a brave look on their faces and held the kids. I soon disappeared and let them have time together. When I was leaving the kids said goodbye to me and hugged me. I told them to be strong and that it's the worst thing in the world but you have to stay strong for each other and for Emily. They soon left the hospital before me like a broken family."

Meredith had a tear fall down her face. "Poor kids. They lost both parents in one day."

"I know. It was heartbreaking just being with them. I don't know I kind of knew what they were going through but they had lost both their parents."

"I know. Do you just want to go upstairs to bed?"

"Yeah okay."

They got up off the lounge. Meredith had Cooper in her arms and put him to bed before they just laid down together. It was a broken family something that they wish would never happen.

**What'd you think let me know. I will try update ASAP.**

**The next chapter will be a flashback from about 3 years ago. It is filling in some of those missing blanks from after Kaylee was 2 months old to the time she turned 3. There is a lot of unknown things from that time so I will try and have more info from that period of unknown time.**

**Also look out for my new story Open your eyes. It is a 16 part story and resolves around Meredith, Derek, their 3 kids, their unborn child and their lives from the time they were ten to 25 years later. They are in a car accident and Meredith's life is in danger. So in each chapter there will be one or two flashbacks. I tried to tie the flashbacks to what was happening but it sometimes didn't work.**

**Anyway so check it out and I will update soon.**


	41. In Love Again

**Okay I apologise immensely for the delay in the chapter. Time happened and I just forgot to update and when I found the chapter and started reading it, it wasn't completed like I had completed it on my other computer so a different copy came over on the flash drive and I couldn't get the other one. So I had to finish it off the top of my head.**

**So here is the next one and hopefully you enjoy it. **

Meredith sat by the window in her bedroom. Cooper was asleep in his cot and Kaylee was out at preschool. Derek had the day off from work. She sat watching the day go by from her window. She had her cotton dressing gown on. Derek and her had just finished having sex. She left him to sleep and she got up and sat by the window.

Derek walked up behind her with his boxers on. He wrapped his arms around her body and kissed her neck.

"What are you doing up?" He asks.

"Just thinking."

"About what?"

"I don't know. Silly stuff." She says smiling up at him.

"Come back to bed then." He says.

_3 years ago..._

_Can a heart mend  
Will I pretend I never feel that way again  
I listen to you, try to hear something new  
In every little word you say_

Meredith sat in the nursery with Kaylee. She was just 16 months old.

"Mumma." She says holding up her toy.

"Yeah sweetie." She says sitting down beside her.

"Dadda?"

"Daddy is moving out Peanut. He is moving in with Addison."

"Mumma?"

"Because he doesn't love Mumma. He loves Addison."

"Love."

"I know you love me sweetie. I love you to."

"Go?" She says pointing to herself.

"No you stay here with Mumma."

"Dadda's?"

"You can go to Daddy's whenever you want." Meredith tells Kaylee.

"Mumma kay?"

"Yeah Mumma is okay."

Kaylee climbs into Meredith's lap and wraps her arms around her neck.

"How about we get some lunch and then help daddy?"

"Yes."

Meredith picking her up carried her downstairs. The house was quiet. Charlie and Jackson were at school and Derek was organising everything at Addison's house. So it was just Kaylee and Meredith. Mother and daughter time.

"Kaylee look at you. You have it all over your face." Meredith says to Kaylee.

Kaylee was feeding herself in her highchair and had covered herself in her lunch. Meredith wiped her face down.

"Okay your finished here. I'll make you a bottle up and you can get ready for a nap." Meredith puts her on her hip and goes to the fridge taking out the milk and pouring her a bottle.

She carried her upstairs to Meredith's room and laid her down in her bed and turned the TV on putting kids show's on. Kaylee sat drinking her bottle and watched the TV. Meredith stayed with her because she had nothing better to do. Kaylee's eyes got droopy and she finally succumbed to her sleep. Meredith fell asleep as well.

_Seems so easy for you to help me get through  
I can't pretend I can't pretend  
When you feel your heart break  
Holding him till you say_

She woke to the closing of the door. She looked up and saw Kaylee asleep beside her with the bottle hanging out of her mouth. The TV was off. She climbed off the bed knowing that it would be Derek.

Walking into the hallway she closed the door and went to Derek's room.

"Hey. Almost finished?" She asks.

"Not really. I have most of my stuff there already. I just want to sort out all of this stuff."

"Okay well let me help you."

"You don't need to."

"Derek Kaylee is asleep. The kids are at school and I am not doing anything else. This is the only thing I can do."

He nodded his head. "Okay well you can start with my draws in my desk."

She opened the first draw and saw the typical thing. It was a mess and it was a sort of everything in there. She sorted the pens from the rulers and the rulers from the condoms and the condoms from the paper.

"I don't think these would be very handy." She says holding up the condoms.

"Yeah most likely not. Mark gave me them when I was 13 so most likely not. They have faced the sunlight and the wallet so they can be chucked out." He says with a smile.

Kaylee had soon started crying and she rose to get her.

"I'll get her. I need to spend some time with my daughter before I leave this house." He says leaving the room.

Meredith had sorted the first draw out and Derek walked in the room with Kaylee who was hugging her bottle and her teddy and rested her head on Derek's shoulder.

"Hey baby girl." She said to Kaylee. "Do you want to help us?"

She just nodded her head sleepily and Derek placed her on the ground beside Meredith.

"What time is it Derek?"

"It is just after half past three."

"Okay, Jackson and Charlie will be home very soon."

"Car?" Kaylee asks.

"Yeah baby she will be home soon."

Kaylee claps her hands in delight with her bottle hanging out of her mouth and her teddy close by.

The front door soon opens and closes with a bang and they hear the footsteps up the stairs into the bedroom.

"Car. Jackson." Kaylee says.

"Hey guy how was school?"

"Yeah fine." Jackson says. "Do you need a hand?"

"No we should be fine. You can take Kaylee downstairs if you want." She tells them.

"Okay come on Kaylee." Jackson says picking her up and taking her downstairs.

_I'm falling in,  
I'm falling in love again  
Again again again, again_

Meredith opens the second draw and rummages through it. She digs down to the bottom and finds the scrapbook she made him for his 16th birthday. She pulls it out and opens it flicking through all the pages.

"You still have this?"

"Yeah I kind of like it so I kept it."

"Is this going with you?"

"Of course I am."

Meredith places it in the box and goes back to the rest of the draws.

After a couple hours of packing they gave up because hunger came upon them and headed downstairs to order pizza.

"Mer can we put some home movies on?" Jackson asks.

"How about we save them for the pizza?"

"Okay then. How long will that be?"

"Not long."

The pizza was delivered and they sat around watching the home movies. Derek sat with Kaylee on his lap eating her pizza. They had no idea what movies the kids had decided to put on but it was the family holiday they took last year when Kaylee was only 4 months old.

Meredith shifted in her seat uncomfortably. The start of the holiday was great. Derek and Meredith always went for walks along the beach together and they fooled around but by the second week it turned into hell for Meredith.

_He said hey  
Why do you always feel this way?  
'Cause you take my heartbreak  
And turn it to a song_

Derek and Meredith started getting into fights with one another because one night she caught Derek kiss another girl. Before they could get to the second week Meredith shut the TV off and sent the kids off to do their homework.

"What was that for?" Derek asked.

"I just can't watch the second week. It almost ruined our friendship and what we had going. We had a perfect first week and then I see you with another girl and it made me lose faith in what we were working towards."

Derek sat dumbfounded. He was lost for words.

"I know. It was a perfect first week." He said pulling her closer to him and wrapping his arm around her. "I know that I'm ready to go but I will stay and help you get the kids into bed. It should be the right thing to do considering I am leaving this house."

Meredith smiled at him. "Thanks."

"No worries." He says. "Is Saxon coming around tonight?"

"No. He doesn't like interrupting in the evening. He thinks he will mess up the routine."

"Well maybe he should learn the routine."

"It's not serious Derek. It's just fun it doesn't feel as if it is getting anywhere."

"You have been seeing each other for almost 7 months. How can it not."

"I'm just not there."

He nodded his head at me.

_He said hey  
You know I don't feel the same  
Walk away - walk away  
You'll never hear me say, that ..._

"Okay baby time for your bath." Meredith says getting up and taking Kaylee from Derek's arms. "You coming?"

He nodded his head and followed them upstairs.

Derek stayed the night and helped Meredith get the kids bathed. He helped her tidy up downstairs and helped her read the story to Kaylee.

It was a tradition for Meredith to bring Kaylee into her bedroom and hold her in her arms while Derek read the book. Kaylee would lay there with her bottle and listen to the story being read to her. So tonight they done exactly the same and she finally fell asleep. Derek took her to bed and Meredith tucked Charlie and Jackson in.

Derek stood by Kaylee's cot soaking in what was ending.

Just after 11 Derek's car was almost packed. Meredith and he carried the last of the boxes down the stairs to his car.

"There is one more box. I'll get it." Meredith says.

Racing up the stairs she grabbed the last box along with the teddy that he gave her when she was 15 and went to get her tonsils out. He had given her the teddy and never left her bedside for all those days she was in recovery for and because she got a bad infection he stayed with her longer and missed out on his holidays for her. He sat at her bedside with her and brought her jelly and ice cream and was there to watch the crappy TV shows and the box set DVD's. He was there for her.

_I'm falling, I'm falling in love again  
Again, again, again, again, again  
I'm falling, I'm falling in love again  
Again, again, again, again, again_

She went downstairs to his car and gave him the last box.

"I also have a present for you." She says handing him a bag.

He placed the box on the ground and opened the bag and held the teddy in his hands and smiled.

"You love this teddy. I can't take it."

"You can and you will." She says. She wanted him to hurry up and leave because she was getting overwhelmed and felt like she was going to burst into tears.

"Thanks." He says placing it in the box and onto his front seat.

She turned away to go to the house.

"Where are you going?"

She turns on her heel and he pulls her in his arm for an embrace. "Thanks for putting up with me."

He holds her for a long while and then lets go. She looks at him. "You better be going. Addison will be looking for you."

He gets into his car and she runs inside and falls on the steps and almost breaks into tears.

Derek sat and looked at the box on his front seat. It had the teddy in it and all the memories they made together.

The knocking at the door broke her almost breakdown and she opened the door to him holding the teddy.

_He said hey  
Was it such a big mistake  
Seeing you what we've been through  
I know you'll find your way_

"What does this mean." He asks.

"Something to remember me by."

"No what does this mean?"

"Derek seriously do I have to talk you through this because I really don't want to."

"Give me a reason to stay. Tell me a reason to stay and be with you instead of Addison."

She inhaled a deep breath.

"Derek this is your moving on. Your happy ending. Being with me hasn't worked like it is working with Addie. You need to do this because you need to experience something different in your life. You need to move on and be with someone else because I want you to have a happy ending with someone who doesn't drag you down. I have a lot of baggage Derek. I have a mother who hates me. A father who I don't even know. I look after my brother and sister and I have a 16 month old baby who I had when I was 18. I am not the woman you need in your life. Addie is. She had a childhood. I didn't."

"What if you are the woman I need in my life. Your my best friend. The mother to my child. We have been through everything. We know each other better than the backs of our hands. There is three reasons there to keep me here why won't you say one of them?"

"Because it isn't right us being like this. We're not happy."

"Meredith we are the happiest when we are with each other and when we don't make stupid mistakes. We are practically soul mates."

"Derek you're the believer in true love and soul mates. I'm not. We might be perfect for each other but you need to be with Addie to experience it and see if it is right because I need to do the same thing. We need time away from each other. To grow and see what we want in life not be with each other because we have Kaylee."

He nodded his head. "Just tell me one thing."

"Yeah."

"What would you do if you were in my position? What would you do?"

_And I said wait  
I'm never gonna break away  
It's too late - it's too late  
You'll never hear me say, that ..._

"You would tell me the same thing I am telling you."

"Your amazing. I couldn't ask for a better friend. Don't change the way you are because that's what makes you amazing." Derek says. And turns to the door. Meredith follows him to lock it up behind him when he leaves but he catches her off guard with a kiss. Long and lingering. "You sure that's what it means?" He asks as he pulls away.

"Yeah it does."

He stops for a few seconds and takes off the shirt he is wearing. It was her favourite shirt that she used to steal from him. He hands it to her with a smile.

He gets in his car and drives to his new house and his almost future. She locked the door up and collapses against it. "It means I wish you weren't going."

She says and soon breaks into tears. For all she didn't know is that that same night as soon as Derek left the house he stopped every so often to cry and contemplate going back home to Meredith and the kids. It took him over an hour to get home that night. When he finally reached the car park of the apartments he sat in his car again and this time he cried. She didn't know that this was the same thing that he did.

And he didn't know that each step she took on the stairs she broke down again. That each time she finally recovered from her break down she would walk up a step and break down again. He didn't know that it took her over an hour to climb the stairs. But once she climbed the steps she walked past his bedroom and went and laid in his bed and broke down again. He didn't know that they both done the same thing that night.

It was after 2 when he finally made it to his new home. Addison asked where he was and he told her that Kaylee wasn't feeling too well and he stayed to help Meredith. She believed everything her said and he turned his back to her and kept his hand over the teddy and a fresh batch of silent tears came across him.

Meredith left Derek's room just after 2 and went to her bedroom. She undressed and put Derek's shirt on and laid down on bed and his smell was with her. She then laid on her side and the fresh batch of tears came streaming down her face.

They both didn't know that this was eating them alive.

_I'm falling, I'm falling in love again  
Again, again, again, again, again  
I'm falling, I'm falling in love again  
Again, again, again, again, again_

…

"Mer come here for a second." Derek yells from the spare room.

She walks into the room and sees Derek has his arms behind his back.

"I have something for you." He says. He pulls the teddy bear from behind his back.

"You still have it?" She says moving towards him.

"Yeah I never threw it out. It reminded me of you so much and let's face it. It has been through almost all of our crap."

She just smiles at him. He pulls her into an embrace and kisses her. They hear a noise from behind them and turn to see Kaylee holding onto Cooper as best as she can.

"Come here." Derek says.

Kaylee comes towards them with Cooper. Derek picks Kaylee up and Meredith picks Cooper up.

"What's this mummy?"

"This is a teddy your dad gave me when I had to get my tonsils out. He gave it to me when I was 15."

"And your mum gave it to me when I moved out and I kept it because it reminded me of you baby and your mummy."

"It's so pretty. Can I have it?" She asks.

"You have to promise to care for it." Meredith tells her.

"Oh I will mummy. I will look after it like I do with my baby doll."

"Okay then. You can have it." She says handing it to Kaylee.

Kaylee smells the teddy. "It smells like you daddy."

"Is that a good thing?"

"Yeah it is." She says. "It makes me think that you always lived with us and that you never moved out. It is a reminder of how much I love you."

Meredith smiles at what Kaylee just said to her dad and shares a look with Derek.

"And I love you too baby. I'll always be here and if I have to go away then just hold that teddy and it will remind you of me." Derek says to her.

"But daddy you're never going to leave us are you?"

"I never will. I made that mistake before." He says. "I love you all too much to leave you."

He kisses Kaylee's forehead and then leans in kissing Cooper's and then leaves a kiss on Meredith's lips.

"I love you too." Meredith says looking into his eyes.

_I'm falling in, I'm falling in, in love again_

**What'd you think? Please let me know.**

**I had to write this chapter revolving around this song. It is one of my favourites and it sort of fit for this situation. I was also inspired by an episode on the Big Bang Theory so two influences. **

**Next chapter I will try post as soon as possible. It is a filler. A day at the park with the gang and then Sunday dinner with the family and time with the nieces and nephews.**


	42. I Had A Great Day

"So Kaylee how about you and me start making some cupcakes while daddy pops over to help Uncle Mark."

"Okay mummy. Will daddy be long because we want to go to the park?"

"I won't be long. I'll be an hour at most." He tells her.

"Good. Then you could maybe invite him to come a long with us."

"Yeah that's a good idea sweetie." Meredith says.

"Then could we maybe get George and Izzie and Cristina and everyone else to come along with us."

"Well we will have to see. They might be busy."

"They will want to come if I ask them." She says.

Meredith and Derek both knew she had a way with all of their friends.

"Okay we can give them a call."

Derek kissed Meredith goodbye while Kaylee reached for Meredith's phone.

"Bye Kaylee."

"Bye daddy. Don't forget to ask him."

"I won't."

Derek left.

"Here you go mummy."

"Who do we want to call first?"

"George."

Meredith dialled for her and then gave the phone to Kaylee.

"Hi Uncle George. What are you doing today because I was wondering if you wanted to come to the park with us?" She asks sweetly into the phone. "So you will come. Okay I'll put mummy on."

"He can come mummy." She says.

"I know." She says smiling. "Hey George. Yeah we were just going to meet at the park near our house. Yeah I say at about 12 o'clock. We can have lunch if you want and let Kaylee play. Yeah the weather is getting cooler so I think that it will be a good idea doing this now then later on. Okay I will see you then. Bye."

Meredith hangs up.

"So who next baby."

"Izzie."

She dialled and handed the phone to Kaylee.

Derek arrived at Mark's apartment and knocked at the door. Mark opened the door to him.

"Thanks for coming over here."

"That's fine. You didn't tell me what you wanted help with."

"Oh yeah okay I just needed help moving some furniture around."

"Oh okay then. What are we moving?"

"Well remember my cousin Jacob."

"Yeah."

"Yeah well he is moving to Seattle to start work and he is living with me for a while so I was just rearranging some things so he has space."

"Is he camping on your lounge?"

"Well he is sleeping on the futon."

"Oh so you're not that mean."

"No I'm not."

"Anyway do you want to come to the park with us this afternoon? Kaylee invited you."

"Anything for my goddaughter."

"Yeah well I'm pretty she convinced everyone else to come."

"Well I wouldn't blame them for not coming. Spending time with Kaylee. She brings happiness to us all. So does Cooper. We all love being around them. I'm so glad you knocked Grey up because as a result it ended with these two beautiful, amazing kids. You better produce more of those kids because we need some more sunshine in our days."

Derek smiled to himself.

"You really think that the kids brighten your day?" Derek asked as they moved the lounge.

"Yeah I do. They just smile and laugh and make everything that is bad go away that's why I'm jealous of you when you get to go home from a crappy day at work to a wife and 2 kids."

"Well you do know that most of the time the kids and my wife are asleep."

"Yeah well at least they are under the same roof as you."

Derek smiles up at him.

"Let's get this all done so you can go and see your little rays of sunshine." Derek says to him.

"Shut up man."

...

"Kaylee come and help me check the cupcakes." Meredith calls out to her.

Kaylee comes running into the kitchen.

"Slow down sweetie."

She stops running and Meredith opens up the oven door.

"Okay stick the tester in one of the cakes and pull it out to see if they are cooked and careful not to burn yourself."

Kaylee sticks the tester in and pulls it out.

"It's cooked mummy."

"Okay I'll take them out." Meredith moves her out of the way and takes the cakes out resting them on top of the stove. "They'll be ready to ice in a little while. What do you want to do while we wait?"

"I don't mind mummy. You can study if you want. I'm happy just playing with my Barbies."

"Well I've done all the study I can do for the day. So how about I come and play Barbies with you."

"Okay mummy. Coopie can play if he wants."

Cooper started grizzling in his walker.

"Well I think Cooper is ready for a sleep."

"Okay mummy you can feed Coopie and I will get started."

"Okay I'll just be right upstairs. I'll try not be too long." Meredith says taking him out of the walker.

Meredith walked upstairs while Cooper was crying. She sat down in the rocker and started nursing him.

"So who can I be?" She asked as she walked back downstairs.

"You can be the Doctor because she looks like you."

"Okay baby."

Derek walked through the front door an hour later and found Meredith and Kaylee playing.

"Hey to my favourite girls." He says.

"Daddy." She says running to him. "Is Uncle Mark coming?"

"He sure is. Is everyone else coming?"

"Yes they are. We are having lunch at the park."

"Sounds good. What time are we going to leave here?"

"Well we said 1 2 so maybe after 11.30, after we ice the cupcakes." Meredith says. "Which should be right to ice now."

"I'll help you mummy." Kaylee says.

"Let's go."

Meredith prepared the food for lunch and had them ready to go.

"Derek could you get Cooper for me."

"Yep." He says.

Walking up the stairs into the nursery. Cooper was asleep in his cot. Derek reached over the railing and rubbed his tummy. He soon picked him up and Cooper stirred before falling asleep again. Derek left the nursery and carried him back downstairs. He nursed him while he waited. Walking up and down the hallway and in and out of the kitchen.

"Kaylee you ready to go?" Derek asks quietly as he walks into the lounge room.

"Yes daddy."

"Okay go get your shoes on."

Kaylee ran off to grab her shoes before coming back to the foyer with her shoes. She sits on the floor putting her shoes on.

"Okay we right to go?" Meredith asks as she walks into the foyer with the baby bag and bag of food.

"Yeah I am. Kaylee are you ready?"

"Yes daddy."

"Okay let's get going." She says.

Kaylee runs out a head of them. Derek locks the house up and carries the sleeping Cooper in his arms. Meredith loads the gear into the car making sure the pram is in the car. Derek straps Cooper in and he still stays asleep. Meredith helps Kaylee and then they head off to the park.

"Kaylee we should have brought your bike and you could have had a ride."

"Yeah but that's okay mummy. I can play on the equipment and I'm sure everyone else will play with me."

Meredith smiled at Derek knowing that Kaylee was right. A moment wouldn't go by without them all playing with Kaylee.

Pulling into the car park Derek helped Kaylee out and took the pram out. Meredith opened the door for Cooper's side and waited for Derek to open the pram to take him out. Careful not to wake him she took him out so carefully and placed him in the pram. Derek grabbed the gear and they headed off.

Everyone was already there waiting.

"Oh finally we thought you had gotten lost." Cristina says.

"Hey when you have 2 kids it's hard to be at places on time." Meredith says defending them.

"Excuses. Not good Meredith. Are you going to use them when you are a doctor?" Cristina says.

"No."

"That's what I thought."

Everyone else just shook their heads.

"Hi Kaylee." George says picking her up and kissing her cheek.

"Hi Uncle George."

"Do you want to go and play on the swings with me?"

Kaylee nodded her head.

"Mummy can I go and play with Uncle George?"

"Yes Kaylee but put your hat on your head."

George placed her on the ground and she ran a head of George. Everyone else starts mingling and getting set up. Meredith then checks the pram.

"Hey baby. Did you sleep well?" She asks kissing his forehead. "I'll take you out in a second my boy."

She reclines his seat up and goes and helps seat the blanket up along with the food.

"Mer I'll hold him." Mark says unbuckling him from the pram.

"Okay but you won't be the only one." She mumbles.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just making a mental note."

"Hey Coopie. Your getting very big."

"Here pass him Mark." Callie says. "We'll go and push him on the swings."

Callie and Mark take him over to the swings.

"What are they doing with my son?" Derek says.

"Taking turns stealing him."

"Oh I thought so."

"Do you need a hand with lunch?"

"Yes please Mer. Derek you and the boys can go and play with Kaylee."

"But we want to help." Alex says.

"Boys are no good in the kitchen and I know you don't really want to help."

"Hey, I'm good in the kitchen." Derek says.

"Yes dear but go and socialise. You deserve it babe." She says kissing his cheek.

He kisses her back on the lips.

"Go now before we change our minds."

"So where was Arizona today?" Cristina asked as they were setting up.

"She was coming but she was called into work."

"God I wish we were working already."

"Cristina we will be in a few short months. I think you should enjoy the freedom while you have it. I know I'm trying to spend as much time with the kids as possible."

"Yeah but you already have things to keep you busy and you have a family. I have nothing at the moment so all I am doing is waiting for our internship to start."

"You might not be a doctor. You might not pass your exams." Izzie says.

"Don't say that because then it might happen."

Meredith just shakes her head.

"I'd be happy to not pass my internship. I would just be a stay at home mum."

"You need a job for a second income."

"Hey we're not even making that much on one salary at the moment. I'm not working either so it is hard."

"Your parents are rich Meredith. You have all that money from your mother and when she passed away. You have the money you got from when you were part time working when Kaylee was 12 months old. You do have money and you always have."

"But having small kids is where most of our money goes."

"Meredith like I said money has never been an issue because you had it. I grew up in a trailer park. I've put myself through med school posing in my underwear and waitressing and you still have that baby fund that Richard set up all those years ago for Kaylee."

"Yeah but..."

"Meredith don't say anything because I will have to kick your arse." Izzie says.

"Okay all I'm going to say is that I would consider becoming a stay at home mum if I don't pass."

"But you will. Start thinking positive."

"I can think positive but I also have to think about what will happen if I don't pass because I already have that family to support." She tells them. "You can't always live life with black and white. You have to see the bigger picture because the bigger picture usually has a way at winning in the end. So I'm thinking about what will happen if I don't pass."

Izzie and Cristina just share a look.

"Yeah whatever." Cristina says. "Go and tell everyone that lunch is ready."

Meredith shakes her head and walks over to where everyone else is.

"Hey guys lunch is ready." She says.

"Okay." They all reply.

"Come on Kaylee." Alex says piggy backing her over to their table.

Callie carries Cooper over with Mark and George trailing behind her.

"Meredith stop for a second." Derek says.

"What?" She asks smiling.

He leans in and kisses her.

"Well I just want to say that your beautiful and that I love you and our kids. I love life at this very moment because I have you."

"I love you to." She says moving into his side.

Derek wraps his arm around the small of her back and holds her close. They link their fingers together and walk over to the table. All their friends are laughing and helping Kaylee with her lunch.

They stand waiting for everyone to grab their lunch.

"Alex you can put Cooper in the pram if you want." Derek says after realising that Alex had gotten him.

"No its all cool. I can manage."

After lunch Kaylee sat on the mat they laid out playing games with Cooper, Alex, George, Izzie, Mark and Callie. Derek held Meredith's hand as they went for a walk over to the swings. Meredith sat on the swing and Derek stood in front of her.

"This is bringing back memories from year 8. You and I sitting on the swings." She says. "Never then would I have thought that I would have you or my two kids."

"I know. I never thought about that either."

Meredith leant back and let the breeze go through her hair. Derek leant over and kissed her passionately bring her back to an upright position.

"Hey get a room. God it's a wonder you don't have 10 kids already." They hear being called out knowing it was Mark.

They just smile against each other's lips and continue kissing.

Stopping for air she wraps her arms around his waist. His hands rest at the back of her neck.

"Come on we better go back before Mark says something that gets Kaylee asking questions." He says.

He picks her up and carries her on his back over to their picnic site.

"God you two are acting like horny teenagers." He says.

"Shut up. You're just jealous." He replies back to him.

"Coopie keeps blowing bubbles." Kaylee says.

"Does he. Is he lying on his back?"

"Yeah he is."

"Well that's how he blows them. He lies on his back and blows bubbles."

...

"Hi nanna." Kaylee said as they walked into Carolyn's house.

Carolyn bent down and picked her up.

"How are you sweetie?"

"Good nanna. We went to the park today with Alex, Izzie, Callie, George, Cristina and Mark. We had lunch and played games."

"That sounds like fun."

"Is everyone else here?"

"Yeah they are in the play room."

Kaylee ran out to the play room to be with her cousins.

"Oh look at you Coopie." Carolyn says taking him from Derek. "Did you have a good day at the park?"

"Bub." He says pointing.

"Yes you tell nanna you were blowing bubbles." Meredith says to him.

"Oh really." She says kissing his forehead. "We have some people waiting to see you little boy."

They walk into the lounge room and all of Derek's sisters are there. They all get up kissing both Meredith and Derek's cheeks.

"Um Ma we haven't bathed the kids yet so can we bath them after dinner?" Derek asks.

"Yeah of course. Dinner is ready now so if we can get that underway then they can be bathed and be ready to go home."

Dinner being dished out. They had Cooper in the highchair besides Meredith. Lacey was also at the table beside Kathleen. All the older kids were at their table.

After dinner everyone was tidying up and Meredith and Derek went to bath Kaylee and Cooper but of course all the other kids wanted to have a bath as well.

Derek walked into the kitchen.

"Okay I have all your kids upstairs wanting a bath." He tells them.

"Oh let them have one." Nancy tells him.

"Okay so we are bathing 8 kids. Okay then. We'll be fine."

"Derek I will be up to help you. I was bathing the kids here so I have their clothes." Kathleen tells him.

"I was doing the same." Nancy tells him. "Get Ally or Amy to help you."

Derek shakes his head before heading back upstairs.

"Okay we have been given the green light to bath them all."

"Okay then. If you don't mind filling the bath up."

Derek starts filling the bath with water and Meredith starts undressing the kids. From the oldest all the way down to Cooper. Braden, Kaylee, Conner, Caitlin, Claire, Maddie and Lacey. They bath was filled with only a few centimetres of water. Derek helped the kids in one at a time and Meredith undressed Cooper and placed him in Braden's arms.

"Hold onto him tight Braden."

"I will aunt Mer."

"I'm so glad this bath is round and big enough to fit them all in." Meredith says.

"I know. They are just have enough space."

"Oh they are kids they don't care."

"Uncle Derek can you tell us about a cool surgery you got to perform." Conner asks.

"Okay well I haven't got to perform a surgery by myself. I've assisted but there was this one when a guy had come into the ER and he had somehow gotten away for about 6 years with a foreign object stuck inside of him from a previous surgery."

"What was it?" Braden asks.

"It was a scalpel."

"Ouch." They all say.

"Yeah that was stuck in his stomach so we got to take it out."

"I don't think I want to become a doctor Uncle Derek." Caitlin says.

"Me either." Conner says. "Caitlin and I are going to become spies aren't we Caity?"

"Yes we are." She says smiling at her twin brother."

Meredith and Derek smile.

"You can all be whatever you want. It is all your choices in what you become. I know Mer and I will support you."

"You are our favourite uncle and aunty." They all say.

"We you are all our favourite nieces and nephews."

"What about the baby in mummy's tummy?" Caitlin asks.

"Yes and that baby as well."

After 20 minutes they had gotten all the kids out of the bath and wrapped towels around them. Meredith carried Cooper and the bag while Derek had Lacey and Maddie going down the stairs.

The kids sat in front of the TV after being dressed and sat eating their dessert.

"We're going to take off." Derek says to everyone. "We will see you all next week."

Meredith had Cooper asleep in her arms. "We're going now guys."

The kids all get up and kiss Meredith goodbye. They say goodbye to Derek and Kaylee as well before leaving.

Getting the kids to bed they go downstairs and sit.

"I had a great day today." He tells her.

"Me too. We might have to do it again."

"Yes we will. Maybe one day when I have the weekend off we could just have all the kids here to stay the night. They are pretty easy to look after."

"Sure if you say so. It will also lighten Nancy's load as well before she has the baby."

"Sounds good." He says kissing her. "Do you want to go to bed?" He asks.

"Lead the way." She says to him.


	43. I Don't Know What To Say To Him

**Hey guys. Long time since an update (over a month, yikes). I apologise a lot. I've just been busy finishing year 10 and I almost am. Friday is my last day. So keen. I thought that I would update now because of my free time and I will try and update every night for now on to catch up. I have banked up over 30 chapters which is good. I have my formal tomorrow night so I will start the constant updates from Thursday.**

**Anyway this isn't an exciting return chapter I apologise but I thought we needed a Jackson update. So hopefully you enjoy and please review and the updates will be up quicker.**

Jackson hadn't slept all night. His friends Kayla and Luke had been in an accident and they were waiting on news at what had happened to them. They were both in surgery and that was all he knew. He heard a knock at the front door. He got up and answered it. Jasmine practically jumped into his arms.

"Hey it's okay." He says soothing her. To be honest he didn't know if it was okay.

They sat on the lounge waiting for news. Just after 4 am is when they received the phone call from Luke's older brother Nate.

"Hi Nate. What has happened?"

"He didn't make it. He died as soon as he was brought into surgery."

"How did this happen?"

"They had had the weekend away and they were tired. Luke volunteered to continue driving while Kayla slept and he fell asleep at the wheel and ran into oncoming traffic."

"I'm so sorry Nate."

"It's fine Jackson."

"How's Kayla?"

"She just got out of surgery. She had punctured lungs. Internal bleeding. Broken bones you know the rest."

"Yeah. Okay I will see you later Nate."

"Bye Jackson."

Jasmine started stirring while he talked to on the phone.

"Any news?"

Jackson moved over to the coffee table and shook his head.

"Luke fell asleep at the wheel and died on impact. Kayla as some internal injuries but she is fine."

That is when Jasmine broke down even more. Jackson wrapped his arms around her.

"Hey he didn't feel a thing. He was asleep. I think I feel better with that happening then him being awake throughout the whole thing. Kayla was asleep as well." He tells her kissing the top of her head.

"Jackson is there any news on what happened." He hears from behind him.

He turns and sees Charlie.

"Come here."

She comes and sits beside him. Jackson places his cast arm around her.

"Luke has passed. Kayla is fine."

A single tear falls down Charlie's cheek.

...

Meredith had taken that day off school. Kaylee would be at preschool for the morning and Cooper was staying at Carolyn's for a few hours.

Getting out of the car she walks up to the front door. Opening the door she peaks her head inside.

"Jackson, Jasmine, Charlie. You ready." she calls out.

"Yeah we are." Jackson says as they walk to the front door.

The kids were dressed not in black but in bright colours. The sort of colours that Luke liked. It was a celebration of Luke's life to be a joyous occasion and not a sad one. Meredith had also volunteered to come with the kids because over the years she has gotten to know Luke very well.

Arriving at the church they headed up towards the front. Jackson and Jasmine went and said hello to everyone in Luke's family and Meredith and Charlie went and found a seat.

Throughout the service Meredith helped both of their hands. They all laughed and cried at all the clips of them all. There were a lot of clips with Jackson in them. Mostly just the two of them playing soccer and from when the two of them were 5 years running around crazily.

After the service finished Jackson had helped carry the casket out. Jasmine and Jackson were also invited to attend the actual funeral. They went with Luke's family and Meredith and Charlie went out for lunch.

...

"Happy birthday Jackson." Meredith, Kaylee and Derek say into the phone a week and a half later. "Cooper also says happy birthday."

"Thanks guys." He says. "Derek are you taking my cast off today?"

"Yes I am. I will pick you up on my way to the hospital and take it off then I will get Meredith to come and drop you off at school."

"Thank you. I will see you soon."

"Bye Jackson."

They hang up the phone and go and get ready for their day.

"Kaylee can you bring your bag in here for preschool." She calls out while she starts washing up.

"Yes mummy." She says running out of the kitchen.

"I'll go and get my bag and stuff ready. Kaylee should be right to go then."

She nods her head as he gets up and leaves the room.

"Here mummy."

"Thanks baby. Your breakfast is on the table."

"Thank you mummy."

Meredith starts packing Kaylee's crèche bag.

"No problem sweetie. Okay Cooper you need your feed and to be changed and you're ready to go."

"Mummy do you have class today?"

"Yeah I do baby. I only have one class today so I will come and get you from the crèche and then take you to preschool."

"Okay mummy. Is Coopie going to school with you?"

"Yeah he is."

"Is Coopie ever going to stay at the crèche with me?"

"He will get the chance to next week when I have my day as a med student."

"Do you get to work with daddy?"

"Yeah I do."

"That's cool."

"Yeah it is. Now eat up you have to get going."

Kaylee finished eating and came and kissed Meredith goodbye before leaving with Derek. Derek kissed her goodbye and said goodbye to Cooper.

Derek pulled up outside of Jackson's house. Jackson soon came outside with his bag slung over his shoulder and hops into the car.

"Happy birthday." Kaylee says.

"Thank you."

"Now let's go and see if this cast is ready to be taken off. You'll be at the hospital until 10.30 maybe."

"That's okay. I had a free period this morning."

Arriving at the hospital Jackson took Kaylee up to the crèche and then went and waited for Derek in the change rooms.

"Did she go in okay?"

"Yeah she did."

Derek smiled. "Just think Jacko you could be the Chief of this hospital one day." Derek tells him as they leave the locker room.

"Yeah I know. It's quite unreal thinking about it. I could be here in just a few years."

"Well it's unforgettable. Come on let's go and see when you are booked in."

Meredith grabbed Cooper and headed to school with him. Getting out of the car she grabbed the carrier from the back along with the bag which was filled with her books and stationary and also Cooper's bottles, nappies, wipes and food for him.

She took him from his car seat kissing his cheek.

"Come on baby lets go to school."

Walking inside she had ten minutes to spare before class. She grabbed her timetable for next week and grabbed papers to apply to the hospitals around town.

"Meredith." She hears from behind her.

Turning on her heal she sees George, Izzie, Alex and Cristina.

"Hi guys."

"Meredith you brought your baby along. You know that I can't concentrate with him around." Cristina complains.

"Cristina just shut up. I feel so much better with him here with me instead of at the crèche."

"Seriously Mer the next kid you have are you going to have it strapped to your hip while you operate. No it's not good medicine to do that." Cristina says.

"I think it's a great thing that she brings Cooper along. He is very settled in class. Rarely makes a noise. Even the teachers love having him here. They always praise Meredith for what she is doing."

"Izzie you can't be a hard-core surgeon if you have a baby strapped to your hip. You're always focussed on it then on surgery."

"Well in my defence I think that Cooper will be the next best doctor in the country. I'm starting him young." Meredith says.

"Yeah well I think bringing him for the first few months while he was still using your boobs as a milk bar was good but now he is not feeding from the milk bar and should be kept at a day care."

"Cristina he still feeds from the milk bar." George says.

"You guys are supposed to defend her." She says. She had had enough and turned on her heels and went to class.

"Don't worry Mer we think having him here is great." Alex says.

"Thanks guys. Can one of you hold him while I put the carrier on?"

Alex takes Cooper while Meredith puts the carrier on. He helps her place him inside and then they head off to class.

During class Cooper had gone on babbling away to himself and saying ba and ma. Cristina had sat a few seats away from her so she didn't have to put up with him.

After class Cooper had finally fallen asleep. She said goodbye to everyone and they all kissed Cooper goodbye. Just as she was getting to the car she was stopped by one of her lecturers.

"Meredith, can I have a minute."

"Sure Dr Fran. What's up?"

"Okay I just need to know what your plans are for the coming weeks. Are you going to bring your baby the day you're a med student or during your tests?"

"Sir, Cooper will be at the crèche at the hospital with his big sister. When I'm doing my tests he will be home at his nanna's house. Sir we have already sorted this out. When I had my leave before I even went on leave all the teachers had signed on knowing what was happening."

"Okay but the thing is I don't like having babies in my class."

"Sir Cooper has been in all of your classes since July last year. That is 8 months' worth of having a baby in your class. You've never had a problem with him he is always an angle and is always quiet."

"Okay but now I do. I think from now on you should not bring your baby to any of my classes."

"Sir why?"

"Like I said I don't like having babies in my classes."

"And if I do what will you do?"

"I will make your final months here hell." He says turning and leaving.

She was dumbfounded. Had someone said something to him? They couldn't have because no one had ever complained to her about having a baby in the room. She shook her head and went and placed Cooper in his car seat before she left to go and get Kaylee.

"Good as new." Derek said as soon as the cast had been taken off. "Meredith should be here in a few moments."

"Is it okay?"

"Yeah it's just fine. I would be careful for a few days with it. So no punching or anything like that."

"Thanks Derek."

"No problem."

"I'll go and get Kaylee and I'll meet Meredith downstairs."

"Sure. See you later."

"See you Jackson."

Jackson left the room and headed to the crèche picking Kaylee up then they headed downstairs and waited for Meredith. She dropped Kaylee off at preschool and kissed her goodbye then took Jackson to school. She signed him in then headed over to Steph's for lunch.

Jackson walking into school was his free period. He only had 5 minutes left until break so he went to his locker. Opening the door a note fell out.

"You'll be sorry." Was scribbled across it. He was confused because he had no idea what it meant. The bell for break went and he headed out to the quad. He felt hands cover his eyes.

"Hey baby."

"Happy birthday."

"Thank you." He says turning around and seeing Jasmine. He kisses her lips. "How've you been?"

"Good. I have been very good."

"That is good."

"How's your hand?"

"It is good."

"That's good."

"Hey Jackson. Your sister is a whore. Your mother didn't love you and your slutty girlfriend put my uncle in jail." Is called out from across the playground. It is one of those stupid year 9 kids who always goes around looking for trouble and always ends up in fights.

"Seriously dude just shut up and leave my life alone. My sister isn't a whore, my mother did love me and my girlfriend isn't a slut and your uncle deserved that." Jackson said. Jasmine sunk in behind him.

"Well your best mate deserved to die." He said coming over closer to him.

"What did you just say?"

"Your friend Luke deserved to die. He really did. It would have been better if it was you behind the wheel rather than Luke."

"You did not just say that."

"Yeah I did. It's the truth Jackson."

Jasmine was pulled away from behind him by Jesse. He pulled her away just as Jackson punched the kid in the face. The kid fought back and the two broke out fighting.

"Jackson stop it." Jasmine yells.

Soon the whole school had gathered around and watched the two fight.

"You two cut it out." The teacher said breaking it up. "Liam go to the principles' office. Jackson come with me."

Jackson looked at Jasmine and she shook her head. Blood was dripping from his mouth and his nose. All the kids watched him as he walked off. He was lead into the deputy's office with the teacher who broke the fight up. Ms Peters' was on duty today and she had gotten quite close to Jackson over the years.

"What has happened?" She asks looking up concerned.

"Um Liam has caused another fight and Jackson here was his next but of meat."

"Okay. You can leave us now. I'll deal with it."

Ms Peters' got up off the chair and closed the door and collected tissues and an icepack for him.

"Jackson tell me what happened?"

"I had just gotten to school and saw Jas. Liam comes walking through the quad saying the Meredith is a whore, my mother never loved me and that Jasmine was a slut who put his uncle in jail. I told him to leave me alone and then he came over and said that Luke deserved to die. I told him to shut up but then he went on saying how it should have been me in the car instead of Luke."

"Jackson I know it's tough. You were doing so well. Then you let a year 9 in and destroy that bubble you had built yourself."

"I know. I wish I didn't. I just don't know what to do anymore."

"Jackson do you want to go home?"

"Yes please. I can't stay here anymore."

"Okay I'll call your dad in and we can have a chat."

"Can you please call Meredith instead? I know that dad is in surgery and Meredith is available."

"Of course."

He sat waiting while she called Meredith.

"Mer your phone is ringing." Steph says.

"Hello? Yeah it is. I'm good. What? Okay I will be there soon." She says hanging up.

"What's wrong?"

"Jackson got into a fight at school I have to go and sort it out."

"Okay. I can get Kaylee for you this afternoon. Just message me."

"Thank you." She collects Cooper from the lounge room and says goodbye before leaving.

She was fuming about Jackson getting into a fight. She drove into school and went straight to the deputy's office with Cooper in tow. Knocking on the door it soon opened.

"Hi Ms."

"Meredith you look wonderful."

"Thank you. So do you."

"Come take a seat."

She looks over at Jackson and looks at him. He was a mess.

"Okay I wanted to get you in here because of Jackson getting into a fight. He says that the boy started yelling things at him about family issues and then stated that Luke Kipp deserved to die in the car accident and then he changed his mind and stated that Jackson should have been the one who died."

"Jackson he seriously said that?"

"Yeah he did."

"I know that Jackson is still grieving and I know that this death has hit everyone hard. What Liam said was so hurtful and mean. Jackson you should have walked away. I know you so well and you let your guard down. I'm going to grant you a 2 day in school suspension. You'll be here and can catch up on studying. It will be like a cool down from being out in the quads and in classes. So I'll let you go home and get cleaned up and have the rest of the day off and I know that it is your birthday so have a relaxing day at home. Come back to school tomorrow for the start of the suspension and I will sort it all out."

"Thank you miss." Jackson says.

"No worries. Just think of it as a cool down time. Now you might want to get your bag. Apologise to Jasmine then come back up here and you will be right to leave."

Jackson got up off the chair and left the room.

"I don't know what to say to him." Meredith confesses.

"I know it's always tough when these things happen at school. You just have to tell him that it will get better."

"I hope so."

"Meredith you need to breathe as well." She says placing her hands on her shoulders.

Meredith takes a deep breath in and then exhales.

"So tell me what has happened since you left all these years ago?"

"Well it was a rough few months since Kaylee was born. I just think the settling and the moving and just all that. Derek almost got engaged but that didn't go too well cause I kind of told him that I loved him and told him I was pregnant. So it has gotten better. We moved in together again he proposed we got married and I now have two beautiful kids and a husband."

"And this must be Cooper. Jackson came and told me last year that you had him. He is adorable." She says. "May I?"

"Sure." Meredith says passing him off. "How's your brood going. Last time I heard you were pregnant again and that was from Jade 4 years ago."

"Well my brood is going well. I have 7 daughters and 1 son."

"Oh sucks to be him. You finally got a son. Was he the one born 3 4 years ago?"

"Yeah Isaac. He is adorable and loved by his big sisters."

"So you haven't had any kids since then?"

"No I haven't I'm almost in my 40's dear."

"I know but still you could have had another one. Maybe another son."

"No 8 is enough."

"Well you are blessed I can tell you that now."

"Well Jade is getting married at the end of the year."

"Is she really? That is awesome."

There was a knock at the door and Jackson poked his head in.

"Well tell her congratulations. We better be off."

"Okay then. I'll see you tomorrow Jackson."

He nodded his head before they left. They arrived at Meredith's house and Jackson went straight outside. Meredith put Cooper in the swing and followed Jackson. He was sitting on the back step.

"Remember when we were little and we used to come and sit out here to clear our heads or sit out here to enjoy the sun or we just used to sit here and talk about our days with an ice block in hand?" Jackson says.

"Yeah I do remember."

"I wish those days were still here."

"Jackson I don't know what to say to you." Meredith confesses to him.

"I don't know what to say to me either." He says looking at her with tears filling his eyes.

"It will get better."

"Will it?"

"Yes it will. I know it will. It always does." She says wrapping her arm around his back. "Remember when we found mum died and we came out here and lit a bunch of candles?"

"Yeah."

"Well tonight we will do that for Luke. We can get some balloons and then write something on them and let them go up into the sky and hope that he catches them and can read them."

Jackson turns into Meredith and wraps his arms around her and breaks into tears. Meredith just rubs his back and sooths him the way she used to when he was younger.

"It will be okay." She tells him. "It will be okay. I promise that it will be okay."

**What did you think. Let me know and review. The more reviews the quicker I will update. This is the way I felt when my brother went through this. I was like Meredith, I didn't know what to say to him.**

**Next chapter is Meredith's day at the hospital as a student.**

**Just for a further note I realised that I wrote a chapter in the 'what if' style way before the reps let up know about one happening next year. I must be physic or something. **


	44. I Am A Proud Mother Of Two

"Mer wake up." Derek says whispering in her ear the next week. He left a kiss on her cheek.

Meredith stirred and turned to face him.

"You excited for today?" He asks her wrapping his arms underneath her and around her.

"This is the third time I've done this so it's nothing special."

"Still I'm working there this time round." He says in a seductive way.

"And you're trying to seduce me."

"Is it working?"

"A little bit." She says smiling.

"So are we going to mark ourselves into the passage of sleeping in the hospital?" He asks.

"Maybe. We have plenty of time to anyway." She says kissing him.

"What time do you start there?"

"8."

"And it is now 6. I better get ready because I need to be in at 7."

He kisses her one last time before getting out of bed and getting dressed.

She rolls over onto her back and bites her lip smiling. Over the baby monitor she can hear Cooper talking to himself and then Derek's voice.

"_Hello my beautiful boy. How'd you sleep? Did you sleep well? I l know I did. Guess where you're going today. You get to hang out at the crèche today with your big sister while Mummy comes to work at the hospital with me"_

"She is going to become the best Doctor in the world." He says as he reaches over and takes him from the crib. "Don't tell her I said that but it's true. She is going to be amazing and you get to grow up watching her become amazing. You'll be amazing also. Actually you are amazing now. Just like Kaylee. You both have different personalities and it brings great joy to my life."

"_I don't know where I would be if you weren't here and I mean it. I mean if you weren't on your way into this world that day then I have no idea where I would be. To tell you the truth I prefer to be here with you. Your mummy and your sister." _

Meredith heard him say to Cooper. The words he was saying were true. She always thought about where he would be if they never conceived Cooper or if he did get married.

...

Meredith had the bag packed for the kids while they were at the crèche. She had no idea who would be here supervisor today. She carried Cooper and held Kaylee's hand as they went up to the crèche.

"Hi Meredith."

"Hi Sasha. We have both kids in today."

"Yes I remember. I'm looking forward to the day with him." She says as she opens the gate.

"Well I have expressed milk in the bag for whenever. He eats whatever is placed in front of him even if he screws his nose up he will still eat it. He is a well behaved baby so just entertain him or place him in a rocker or a swing or anything like that he and he can stay entertained for hours."

"Okay Meredith." She says as she takes him from Meredith. "We'll be fine won't we Cooper?"

Cooper just smiles.

"Behave my boy and I will see you in a few hours." She tells him placing a kiss on his cheek. "Bye sweetie."

"Bye mummy Kaylee says running off."

"Bye Meredith have a great day."

"I will."

Meredith turns and leaves. It was harder than she thought it would be but it got easier as she walked away to where they were told to meet.

"Meredith nice of you to join us." Richard said as Meredith joined the group in the meeting room.

"Sorry I had to take the kids to the crèche."

"That's fine." He says. "On the table I have your ID for the day and your lab coats. I know that this is your third time but I am just reminding you all. We will head down to the surgical floor where all your residents will be arriving in a short while."

The 6 med students grabbed their coats and ID's and followed Richard down to the main desk on the surgical floor. Soon the residents join them.

"Thank you for joining us." He introduces. "As you all the know the race for Chief Resident is on."

"Since when?" One of the residents asks.

"Ever since your first day here."

They are all shocked and look back at him.

"So today we have your med students who are graduating at the end of May. So this is a hands on experience for them today. Let them be involved in discussions with the patients and ask them questions when they are with you. They need to be on their game just as you all do. Dr Shepherd here will call out the names."

"Cristina Yang is with Dr Goner. Isobel Stevens is with Dr Stewart. George O'Malley is with Dr Nelson. Alex Karev is with Dr Fisher. Meredith Grey is with Dr Roach..." He says.

They all go off to their residents.

"I'll be on the lookout." Dr Webber says. "No go."

They all disburse into different directions. Dr Roach's interns were all with him so Derek was walking with Meredith.

"Shepherd is this your wife?" One of the interns asks.

"Yeah it is. My wife of one year." He says smiling at her.

"That's nice." Most of them say. Derek or Meredith don't hear them because of the two of them staring at each other.

"Hey let's stop that now." Dr Roach says.

"Okay." Derek says.

"Sorry."

"No its fine. Now Meredith I want you to memorise the chart before we go in."

She takes the chart and reads over it.

"Do you understand it?" Derek asks.

"Yes I do. 28 year old male came in with a tumour on his lung and diaphragm and has come for the removal of the tumour."

"Shepherd she isn't that stupid. I hear great things about her from the medical school. She could have been a close contestant to you if she started the internship last year. Husband and wife battling it out would have been great entertainment. And also the two of you competing against each other in all the competitions that are coming up would be great to watch but I feel sorry for your poor kids who would have to live in the hospital with you for 2 weeks straight."

"Thinking about it now I wouldn't have minded starting with Derek but staying back a year later was better in the long run because we would have had a newborn baby as soon as we started our internship and it just would have been mayhem. This was better in the long run."

"You do know you could have waited a year after graduating."

"Yeah I do. I'm pleased with the way I went through."

"That's good. Now let's go see our patient."

Walking through the doors Meredith sees the man.

"Meredith you may present." Dr Roach says.

"Benji Baxter, 28 in for the removal of a tumour that is pressing against his right lung and his diaphragm making it hard for him to breathe, run, eat and sleep at night."

"It has been years since I have had a good night sleep." He says turning to Dr Roach.

"I know Benji but that is going to change. We are hopefully going to remove the tumour by entering through the 4th and 5th rib and opening them two then removing it that way. If all goes well you will be out of here in no time training back up for soccer again and having a decent nights rest."

"Matt you better be right. I trust you a whole lot with this."

"Benji when have you never trusted me?"

"That is true but seriously mate I want to walk out of here with both lungs in tack."

"Benji you will. Just you wait and see." Dr Roach says smiling at him. "We'll be back in a few hours to prep you."

Benji nodded his head as everyone cleared from the room.

"Okay Shepherd your on neuro, Hart and Jenkins you're in the pit and Poppet you're on cardio. Meredith you have the day with me."

"I'll see you later." Derek says kissing her cheek.

"Yeah you will. Bye."

He walked off and Meredith went and stood by the desk.

"Is Benji a friend of yours?"

"He is my brother in law but also one of my best mates."

"So he is your wife Tasha's brother?"

"Yes he is." He says closing the chart. "Come with me. I'm going to show you the scans."

Walking around the hospital she knew where everything was. She felt like a pro but she wasn't. She just wished those months would hurry up before she became an intern and was practicing medicine.

"Meredith you're a young mum aren't you?"

"Yes sir. Had Kaylee the day I turned 18."

"How has that been for you? Derek said it was an amazing experience."

"It is amazing. Derek misses out on Cooper growing up at the moment. I get to see everything from the steps he takes to the words he speaks but sometimes it was interfering. Like with school and med school, hanging with my friends. You miss out on parties because of your responsibilities that you have hanging off your hip or at your home. But if you asked me if I would reverse it I would say no."

He just smiled at her. "That is an amazing answer. People say you have to choose one. I think you will manage doing the two, the kids and the high demanding career. I believe that doctors who don't have kids can't connect with patients but if you have kids you have that patience. You have that understanding and you know what is right and wrong. Parents become the best doctors."

"How's your daughter going?"

"Jilly is just amazing. She is 4 and a half months now and is going to grow up to be a very beautiful baby."

"So is my Cooper and Kaylee."

"Cooper how old is he?"

"He is 8 months, 9 on the 30th and Kaylee turns 5 in October."

"Derek told me that she had a pretty extraordinary birth but has never actually told me what happened?"

"Okay well on my birthday I had this very relaxing day with a message, picnic then I went for a nap in the hut at the land. Derek and my younger siblings went off and I woke half an hour later in labour. I called Derek and he didn't answer straight away. I then went and got ready and my little brother ran through the door and helped me deliver my baby girl. She was born in 10 minutes and she was 3 weeks early."

"Miracle baby."

"Well she had no complications. She is my miracle baby. She made so much change for the right reasons."

"That's cute. What does she look like?"

Meredith takes her phone from her pocket and opens a picture of Kaylee to show Dr Roach.

"She looks just like Derek."

"Yes. She had a head of hair when she was born and these big blue eyes. Just like Derek."

He just smiles.

"Dr Roach are you treating my daughter well?" Richard asks as he walks into the viewing room.

"Of course sir. Just talking about our children."

"Oh my grandkids are amazing. Couldn't imagine my life without them."

"Well I hear great things from Meredith."

Richard just nods.

"You going okay Meredith?"

"Yeah I am. Having good fun."

"That is good. I'm just checking up. I have a spare ten minutes."

"You can go and visit the kids. Richard you don't have to ask me just go."

"Okay." He says as he rubs his hands together and leaves.

"Typical." She says to Dr Roach.

"Yes I know. Anyway we better look at these scans." He tells her.

He switches the light viewer on and pushes the scans up on them.

"Okay so this is the tumour pressing against Benji's lung."

"Oh my god that's huge."

"I know. It's incredible that he is still alive."

"Wow that is just amazing."

"Yes and you get to watch me extract it. Now tell me what you would do to not puncture his lung or his diaphragm."

"Well like you said you would have to flip him so you can enter his back. Go through his rib cage splitting it so you can access the right lung and the diaphragm. You would have to be careful not to remove the tissue surrounding the wall of the lungs because it can cause damage. You could puncture his lung and end up killing him."

"Yes I know so it is going to be a long surgery. We have the cardiothoracic surgeon on this case as well."

"You would have to because of the risks that could come about during or after the surgery."

"Yeah." He says turning the light off. "You go and have a break, have something to eat drink and go to the toilet. I will have him prepped for surgery. We are starting just before 12 so be ready for then in Benji's room."

Meredith leaves the room and dashes up to the crèche to visit the kids. Cooper was having a feed and Kaylee sat drawing at the table.

After visiting the kids she went to have something to eat when she ran into Derek.

"I get to be on the case you are on. We are sharing the OR together." He says as he sits down. "How's it been?"

"Good. Dr Roach is really nice."

"Yeah I know." He says smiling at her.

"What."

"Do you wanna go?"

"Where?"

"Follow me."

He stands up grabbing her hand and leading her upstairs to one the on call rooms. Pushing her in the door, he shuts the door and locks it.

"Oh you wanna be part of the passage?" She says. "That's okay with me. I can be the intern who has already slept in the room before I had even started my residency." Meredith says to him smiling.

Before too long they are both naked and in each other's arms.

"So you just joined in the passage." He says.

"Well so have you. Unless you slept with someone else."

"No I didn't. First time too. Let's just say someone else uses it compared to Mark."

Meredith just giggled. She grabbed a hold of Derek's watch reading the time.

"We have 10 minutes before we have to meet in Benji's room."

"Yeah I know. I'm just soaking up these final minutes before the world starts again." He whispers to her.

Soon after they find themselves getting dressed and heading down to Benji's room. Derek went to get his scrub cap and Meredith walked into the room.

"Hi Benji."

"Hi Meredith."

"You okay?" She asks as she sees the shocked look on his face.

"Yeah I think so. I'm just trying to think positive about this whole experience because you never know I might not walk out of it alive."

"Benji you will. You just wait and see."

Wheeling Benji up to the OR Meredith puts the scrub cap on and scrubs on and scrubs in.

Throughout the whole surgery she stood by Derek close to the open body watching as they removed the tumour. It left her on a high. Derek knew that she was feeling great after watching the surgery. It cheered her up a bit and got her knowing that she would be here in less than 5 months.

The surgery went by a breeze with no complications. Wheeling Benji up to the ICU it was almost time for Meredith to finish up. She just had to finish her evaluation and she could collect the kids and go home. Sitting in conference room all the med students filled out their evaluations.

Cristina was bragging on about the surgery she got to watch. Alex, Izzie and George just sat there listening to her brag and Meredith just smiled and wanted to be gone to hold her kids in her arms and then take them home.

"Done. I'll see you all tomorrow." She says standing from her seat and handing her evaluation over to Patricia.

Leaving the room she stopped by Benji's room. It had been an hour since his surgery. By his bedside was his wife who was heavily pregnant.

"Hi." Meredith says walking into the room. "How's he doing?"

"Yeah good. The doctors said that he should be waking up very soon."

"That's good. Very good."

"Were you his doctor?"

"Sort of. I was a med student for the day and I was on his case. He sounds like a top guy. I heard a lot about him."

"From Matt?"

"Yeah from Matt."

Benji's wife just laughed.

"When are you due?"

"Oh the end of April early May."

"That sounds nice." Meredith says smiling at her. "Do you know what you're having?"

"No I want it to be a surprise. Benji knows but I didn't want to know."

"I was the same with my two."

"You have kids?"

"Yeah I do." Meredith answered. The question she seemed to answer a lot these days. "A girl who is 4 and a boy who is 8 months."

"That's cute."

"Yeah well I'm on my way to pick them up. Have a good night."

"I will. You too."

Meredith turned and left the room before she took the elevator to the crèche. Walking through the gate Kaylee came running over towards her.

"Mummy."

"Hi baby." She says picking her up.

"Are we going home?"

"Yeah we are."

"Good. I missed you today."

"I missed you too. Let's get your brother and we can go home and start dinner."

She placed Kaylee on the ground and held her hand as they went and got Cooper. He was sitting in a walker eating a fruit stick. Meredith bent down and kissed his cheek.

"Let's go home boy."

Reaching inside, she takes him out and grabs the bag before signing them out and taking them home.

Derek wouldn't be home until after 8 so she cooked dinner, bathed the kids and had story time in Kaylee's room. Tucking Kaylee in she kissed her forehead.

"Night baby. Sleep tight. I'll see you in the morning." She said pulling the covers tight around her.

She left the room and took Cooper to be fed. She sat in the rocking chair feeding him.

"You know what I missed having you by my side today. I usually have you strapped to my hip for most of the day but today you spent almost 8 hours in the crèche and the lady told me you were a good boy."

Derek had walked in the door and headed upstairs to the bedroom. He sat on the bed and took his shoes off listening.

"_But to be honest if this doesn't work out I will be happy to stay at home and be a mum. Maybe Cristina is right. She said that you can't do the two. Even my lecturer said that. I can't have you strapped to my hip while I operate." _

Derek hears. He is confused. She hadn't said anything to him about it.

"_I suppose I need to choose. But I choose both. I couldn't imagine my life without the two of you and your daddy. I suppose you wouldn't mind having me around for your childhood. I would be the best soccer mum and baker. I might get fat though." She says laughing._

Derek smiled at what she just said. He loved when she laughed at herself and what the future may hold.

"I think I will become a dam fine surgeon. Better then Aunty Cristina. Well maybe. She is quiet competitive." She tells him. "I've just decided that I will become a surgeon. And a soccer mum and the best dam baker in Seattle. I'm going to be like a superhero who can do all three things at once. I'm sure your daddy will like that and we can keep adding to our brood. I could have ten more kids if I could do that. I love you and your sister. You are light of my life. If you two weren't in my life I don't know where I would be or if I would have gotten this far in life."

"_I know I always get told that I look too young to be a mum but I don't care. I walk with my head high and proudly say that I am a mother of two. You, Cooper Isaac and Kaylee Sofia Shepherd. Just think your daddy and I wouldn't be together if it wasn't for you. You're the one who I think got us together. I'm sorry you missed the wedding but maybe when it's our 25__th__ anniversary we will renew our vows and you and your siblings can watch. Maybe our first grandchild might be around then."_

"I guess we will have to wait and see. We will have to wait and see about everything else." She tells him as she stands up and lowers him into the crib. "Things will happen when they happen. It's life. Life brings those many things that we don't expect but we adapt to them and make way for the changes because we are susceptible to those things." She says as she runs her hand over his head. "Night my beautiful boy. I will see you in the morning."

Meredith turned the light off and then headed into the bedroom and got a shock when she saw Derek sitting on the bed.

"Hey your home."

"Yeah I am."

Meredith came and sat beside him and he wrapped his arms around her.

"How was your day?" She asks.

"Good. What about yours."

"It was good. It's better now."

He kissed her forehead. "That is very true."

**Let me know what you thought. I will start updates sooner. **

**The next few chapters are fillers. Read and review and let me know what you thought.**


	45. Whoever You Want To Be

**Happy New Year. I know I suck at updating sorry I have had an extremely busy time. I think part of the reason is low reviews from readers. Anyway as part of my resolution I will update more regularly. **

Waking that morning to Cooper crying, Meredith sighed.

Derek had a 32 hour shift and wouldn't be home until tonight. She wished she had those extra minutes to sleep because she had been awake into the early morning looking after the kids. She was intending on studying for her test tomorrow but she never got there. She didn't mean to do it but everything piled up on her yesterday with Derek being paged in in the afternoon and having to cook dinner and bath the kids. Derek was going to be home last night to help her out by looking after the kids but those plans changed ever so suddenly. Kaylee had a hard time getting to sleep because of a fever and Cooper had started teething again. So she was up with both of them all night. Once one of them would go to sleep the other would wake up. At one point of the night she had both of them in her arms.

She gave Kaylee medicine early that night but that wore off. She was up again and at Meredith's side. Cooper would take the medicine but it didn't seem to help very much. By the early morning she had both of them in her arms and in her bed and they finally fell asleep and so did Meredith.

She picked up Cooper and held him close to her body. His cheeks were a red colour and he looked as though he was in pain.

"Morning Cooper baby. How are you feeling?"

He replied with wrapping his arms tighter around her neck and burying his head in her chest. She laid him in her arms and started feeding him. He latched on and fed which was a good thing. In front of her she had her study notes and she studied while he drank. Kaylee stayed besides her asleep.

…

"Hey Derek." Mark said as he entered the change room.

"Hi Mark."

"How long have you been here for?"

"Since 2 yesterday afternoon."

"So for 15 hours."

"Yeah I got paged in and left Meredith at home with the kids. She was going to go over to Cristina's and study. I feel bad for leaving her because Kaylee was starting to get really grumpy and I know that she is sick when that happens and Cooper's cheeks were reddening and that can only mean that he is teething again."

"Bad time to be paged in to the hospital."

"Sure is. I won't see her until tonight."

"Is she dropping the kids off here?"

"No Ma is watching them."

"Do you think she got to study at all?"

"I hope she did. She has most of her exams today."

"How many of them?"

"3 then tomorrow she will have one."

"God that is a lot."

"She only has the half hour break between them."

"Don't worry she will ace them."

…

"Come on Kaylee we have to be going." She said to Kaylee who was balled up on the lounge.

She got up slowly and came to the door. She had her pyjamas on still and her little ugg boots on her feet. She still had a temperature. Meredith had to be at school in half an hour so she had to quickly drop the kids off and go. They got in the car and headed to Carolyn's. She greeted them at the door.

"Hi Mer. You don't look too well."

"Yeah a long night." She said handing Cooper to her. "I didn't want to leave them with you today but Kaylee has a fever and she just isn't very well and Cooper is teething."

"Oh that's fine dear. I can handle it."

"Okay thank you. Medicine is in the bag along with everything else."

"Meredith we will be fine. You go because you will be late."

Meredith kissed both kids goodbye and left.

Arriving at school she headed inside towards the hall. She ran into George on the walk there.

"You okay?" He asks.

"Long night."

"Oh you and Shepherd, ewe."

"No not that, the kids. Derek was paged into work yesterday afternoon and I had no time to study. Except for those twenty minutes while I feed Cooper."

"You'll do fine. As long as you have been studying before you will be fine."

"Thanks George."

"No problems."

"Meredith you're here." Cristina says.

"Yeah why what's wrong?"

"They have to postpone this test because of something wrong with the paper so we have the next 2 hours off. How could they do this? We are prepared for this."

"I wasn't."

"Why not. You're a surgeon you have to be prepared."

"I can't be prepared when I am left with two sick kids who have temperatures and are teething." Meredith snapped. "Sorry I'm tired. I've had less than 3 hours of sleep."

"That's why you pass your kids off to the dad."

"Well one of them is still drinking from me and you can't pass them off when the dad gets called into work." She says again leaning her body against the wall. "I'm so tired."

"Well how about we all go and get coffee and we can revise our notes for the next exam. We have 2 hours." Izzie suggests.

"Yeah okay sure."

The 5 of them left and went down to the café to get a coffee. Meredith had needed it badly. She didn't have time to do anything this morning. She had Kaylee by her side and Cooper on her hip.

"What do you want Mer?" George asks.

"I need a big greasy breakfast or brain food. Bacon and egg roll and a decaff please."

"Okay coming right up."

"This is what is in the next exam right?" She asks.

"Yes the outline here is what you basically need to look for."

"Okay. Okay that's easy."

Her phone soon started ringing.

"It's Derek. Excuse me." She says to them getting up and leaving. "Hi Derek."

"_I thought you would be in your exam."_

"No something was wrong with the paper postponed until tomorrow. Why did you call if you thought I was in an exam?"

"_I was taking chances. I'm sorry about yesterday."_

"Derek its fine. I guess it was good because of the minimal amount of study I got done."

"_Did Kaylee have a fever?"_

"Yes."

"_Is Cooper teething?"_

"Yes."

"_I'm sorry."_

"It's fine Derek. Really. The kids didn't really want to leave my side."

"_Well I'm letting you know that I will be home around 6. Richard cut my hours short."_

"Okay so I can be expecting you for dinner?"

"_Yes but I will bring dinner home. So you don't have to cook tonight."_

"Thank you."

"_No worries. Anyway I better be going. I love you."_

"Love you too. Message me when you are leaving work."

"_Well do. Good luck." He said._

"Thank you. I will see you tonight." She said and hung up the phone.

The waitress brought around the coffees and Meredith devoured it.

"I might need another one. DE caff isn't as good as regular but I will get myself another one." She says as she gets up and goes to the front counter.

"She's dog tired." Izzie says.

"I know. It sucks having young kids and trying to do med school and you have a husband who is an intern." George says.

"She is awesome though. She can do anything. If she can raise two kids from the age of 18 and she passes and we don't then that is quite sad and it means we haven't tried hard enough." Cristina says.

Meredith sits back at the table with her coffee.

"So next week do we have everything worked out?" Meredith asks.

"Yeah we do. Hotel accommodation and bookings into the show for the kids is all set." Izzie said.

"Yeah something I'm looking forward to, The Wiggles dressing up and singing and dancing for 2 hours." Cristina mumbles.

"You will love it Cristina."

"But we are right up the front so I can't sneak off or fall asleep."

"Hey Kaylee won't be too impressed if that happens." Meredith says.

"Oh well. You will all have to make it up to me by going out for drinks with me."

"Well if you check the rules for bars you can't have young kids at the bar so maybe you and Iz can go drinking and I will stay back and watch the kids."

"You don't mind?" Izzie asks.

"No I don't. It's been like this since I had Kaylee. Your baby always comes first and I don't mind."

"Okay well we have something else organised."

"I also think it's good the kids are sick this week instead of next week because I don't think you would have gotten a very good night sleep with the kids and they would have been grumpy and unhappy. So it's good that they are sick this week." She says. "Is it weird that I am happy that my kids are sick?"

"A little bit." They all say.

"I don't even know what I'm saying. I am so tired."

The food was soon served and everyone dug into the food.

The two hours they had soon passed and they headed back over to the hall to partake in their exams.

Meredith was nervous as but she couldn't tell because of the tiredness or the fact that this would determine her career. She took a few deep breathes and waited for the instructions.

"Okay your exam lasts for 90 minutes. Read each question thoroughly and carefully. You may begin." The supervisor said marking the time on the bored and setting the timer.

Turning the first page she read the question and felt good because she could safely answer this one without getting it wrong.

As the test went on she thought the questions got easier and easier.

"You have 5 minutes." The supervisor told everyone. "Okay pens down and close your books."

Closing the book she was confident that she went well in that test now she had half an hours break and then she had her last one, then she could get the kids and go home.

…

After her last exam she said goodbye to everyone and headed to Carolyn's. Walking through the front door she saw Cooper crawling towards her.

"Hey baby boy." She said picking him up and kissing him.

"Ma."

"Yes baby. Where's nanna?"

He pointed in no direction at all so Meredith walked to the lounge room. Kaylee was asleep on the lounge and Amelia was sitting beside her watching TV.

"Hey Amy. Where's Ma?" She asks sitting down on the lounge with Cooper and sitting him behind her with a toy.

"She had to go and get some things from the shop."

"Okay. How long ago did she go?"

"20 minutes ago. She should be back soon."

"How have the kids been today?"

"Kaylee has been sleeping for most of the day and Cooper wouldn't want to be put down and was really clingy. So he has been with me or with Ma but now he is fine. So I'm pretty sure he isn't in pain anymore?"

"I'll check his mouth." She opened his mouth and looked inside his mouth. "Yeah the tooth has broken the surface so it should be up in the next couple of days. It's good though that he isn't in pain."

She nodded her head trying to pay attention but of course for teenagers whatever is on the TV is more important. "How'd your exams go?"

"Well my first one was postponed and the other two were good. I think I did good in them."

"That's good. Dr Meredith Shepherd coming soon."

"Yeah." She said with a smile. "I haven't actually changed my name yet."

"What it's been a year and you haven't gotten down to the courthouse to do it?"

"Well I have had a busy year. I had a baby and am and full time mother who is also attending med school so I haven't had the chance to do that and I don't know if I want to have it as just Shepherd. I was thinking just staying Grey because it would be confusing at work and stuff like that."

"Well you can change it to Shepherd Grey and just use the Grey part."

"I suppose. I better change my name though. It's been a year since we've been married."

"Talking about that, what did my big brother get you?"

"He got me a honeymoon."

"What?" She asked confused.

"Well we decided this year that for our first anniversary we will just save our money for our honeymoon and he can give me something there if he wants."

"I just got disturbing images in my mind."

"Sorry."

The two of them laughed and then heard the front door close.

"Amy I'm back."

"We're in here, still."

Carolyn entered the lounge room.

"Hi Mer. How'd your exams go?"

"Well the first one was postponed until tomorrow but the others were good. Were the kids okay?"

"They were perfect."

"So Kaylee just slept for most of the day?"

"Yeah she did. She only woke to go to the toilet and have a drink and some more medicine but she was fine. Cooper didn't want to be left alone or put down but after 3 he was happy to be by himself playing or crawling around."

"Well I checked his mouth and the tooth has broken the surface so it should pop up in a few days."

"Are you staying for dinner dear?"

"No, Derek is bringing something home with him on his way home. It's kind of his way for apologising for leaving me yesterday afternoon with two sick kids and the day before my exams but I don't mind the apology it is great in the end."

"Another bad image just entered my mind." Amy said.

Both Carolyn and Meredith laughed.

"Just wait until you are this age my dear and you will brag about it." Carolyn said as she picked Cooper up and held him.

Meredith smiled knowing it was true. It was bound to happen and she knew that day she would brag about the perfect apology sex and make up sex she would receive. It reminded Meredith from the first time she started having sex and the bragging she did that made her own friends want to pull out their eyeballs but soon enough they were the ones bragging.

Kaylee stirred from the lounge.

"Hey princess." Meredith said to her.

Kaylee got up and walked over to Meredith and sat on her lap. Meredith checked her forehead and felt that she wasn't as hot as before.

"You feeling better princess?"

"Yeah mummy."

"That's good. I want you feeling good for next week."

She nodded her head.

"You ready to go home?"

She nodded her head again.

"Okay give me a minute and we can get going."

Meredith sat her on the lounge and stood up and went and packed their bags up and came back into the lounge room.

"Come on Kay. Say goodbye to Aunty Amy and Nanna." Meredith told her.

Kaylee went and hugged Amelia goodbye then went to Carolyn.

"Bye nanna."

"Bye sweetie. I'll see you tomorrow."

Kaylee went and held Meredith's hand and Carolyn said goodbye to Cooper and Amelia came and kissed him goodbye.

"I'll help Mer Mum."

"Okay dear. I'll start dinner."

Meredith carried Kaylee to the car and Amelia followed with Cooper. She strapped Cooper in and Meredith done the same to Kaylee and placed the bags in the back.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Meredith said hugging her.

"Okay. Study hard." She says with a smile.

"I will." Meredith says as she climbs into the car.

…

Derek pulled up at the house at quarter to 7 with dinner. He walked inside to a quiet house.

"Mer, I'm home."

Meredith had heard him from upstairs. She was just getting Cooper to sleep and didn't want to wake him.

Derek came up the stairs and saw Kaylee asleep in her bed and then he walked down to the nursery. He opened the door and saw the dimmed lights and Meredith standing up rocking Cooper side to side and rubbing his back and singing softly to him. He stood in the doorway watching and waiting for her to finally get him to sleep.

She got him to sleep and went to the cot and laid him down and tucked him in. She watched him for a few moments then headed out of the nursery with Derek.

He kissed her lips. "Hey."

"Hi, how was your day?"

"Good, busy but good. I was called in yesterday because one of the interns was sent home with the flu and they thought oh Derek has barely worked a Sunday shift we will page him."

She smiled at him. "Yeah that sounds like something they would do."

"I have dinner downstairs."

"Thank god because I am hungry."

"Me to."

The two went downstairs hand in hand to the kitchen. She saw the pizza on the bench and smiled.

"I have been wanting this pizza for ages."

"Well anything for you."

They grabbed the box and went and sat in the lounge room. Derek chose a movie and turned the lights off and the two of them sat with each other, under a blanket, eating pizza and watching a movie.

"What is this movie all about because it is a bit crazy? I have no idea what is happening."

"They gave it good reviews so I thought we could watch it but it is confusing. We could just go and shower and go to bed." He says.

"I have a better idea."

…

After their shower the two hopped into bed and laid in each other's arms.

"How'd your exams go?"

"Yeah good. I think I did heaps good and I thought that they were quite easy."

"They are. The lecturers make them out to be hard but in the end they aren't that hard."

"I believe that the exams we had earlier were harder than these."

"They usually are. I don't know why because it is ridiculous making them harder but I suppose they want to know how it is all being handled."

"Do you want to help me study for the others?" She asks.

"I have a feeling that this doesn't involve books or papers. I have a feeling this involves husband and wife and chemistry."

"Well we can study chemistry."

"Can I ask something without you getting offended?"

"You can ask me anything?"

"Why the urge for sex?"

"Because I'm going to miss out on a week's worth next week and because I love you. Husband and wife are allowed to have sex."

"I know I'm not complaining and if you told me you would miss next weeks you should have told me earlier tonight." He says leaning over her to kiss her. "We could have been doing this instead of the movie."

"Something a wife always loves to hear." She says smiling.

"Something a husband has to say."

"While I remember I am going to change my last name. I'm just unsure if I should be Grey Shepherd and at work be Dr Grey or be just be Dr Shepherd and confuse the crap out of everyone. You know it will be easier for paperwork regarding the kids and things like that."

"Well no matter what it's what you want to be. I will be honoured if you take my name but I really don't mind. Your already part of the family. People know we are married. Paperwork for the kids doesn't matter because they know that you are their mother. Its whatever you want to be."

She sits for a moment and thinks. "I will be Meredith Grey Shepherd."

"I like it." He says smiling at her. He wraps his arms around her. "I love you Meredith Grey Shepherd."

**What'd you think let me know. I have over 40 chapters banked up. The more reviews I get the quicker my updates will be and there are some pretty good chapters coming up might I say so the reviews I get the updates will be faster and regular.**

**So please review and the updates will be faster **


	46. I Will Be here For Both Of You

**My updating is improving.**

**This chapter is Meredith and Derek sitting down with Jasmine and Jackson. Life lessons.**

**Enjoy…**

Meredith had finished her final exams and was waiting on her results. So she got the next couple of months off to relax and wait on her fate and spend time with her kids and her friends before she becomes a doctor.

This weekend she had the beauty of waking up early to place the Easter eggs for mainly Kaylee to find. So today she was leaving Kaylee with Jackson as he volunteered to watch her for a few hours and Jasmine said she would come and help buy eggs and presents for the kids.

"Hey Jas." Meredith said as she climbed into the car.

"Hi." She said quietly.

"You okay?"

"I'm perfect." She said with a tone in her voice. "Couldn't be better."

Meredith nodded to herself and continued to drive.

Meredith couldn't stand those 20 minutes of silence they had faced from Jasmine's house all the way to the mall. When she found a park Meredith sat in the car.

"Jas what is wrong?"

"Nothing, just my time of the month you know?"

"Yeah I do." Meredith said climbing out of the car.

She grabbed the carrier and got Jasmine to help put Cooper in it. Meredith let him watch where they went. When he is 9 months old it is hard to have him facing the other way but he always liked to watch the world go by and watch people and their everyday activities. She grabbed her handbag and they headed into the shopping centre.

"So what were you going to get the kids?" Jasmine asked.

"Well Cooper he won't really mind because he is only 9 months old. So I will just have a look for something maybe clothes but it is also his first Easter so I will have to look for something special. And for Kaylee they usually have the Easter egg in a Barbie bucket. Do you know those things?"

"Yeah I do. I used to always get given them with the egg and then the plate set or the egg with a bunny. Easter is so overrated."

"It may be but I have started to love it more because of the kids and the joy on their faces when they find the eggs."

"Okay Cooper can't even walk yet."

"Yes but it is his first Easter."

"God parents and their hippy celebrations." Jasmine says with a smile.

"You wait until you have kids and you will be exactly the same." Meredith said nudging her.

Jasmine just went quiet. "So Target?"

"Yeah sure." Meredith replied. She studied Jasmine's features. She had the big black circles under her eyes, her mouth was dropped down at the sides more than usual and as she looked closer at her eyes she could see the bloodshot colour shining through them. She realised that Jasmine was upset about something and has been crying and awful lot.

They found the present for the two kids and then went and purchased all the Eggs and chocolate they would need for the hunt with Kaylee and Cooper then the bags of eggs she would make up for the nieces and nephews to hand to them on Sunday night. Meredith also bought chocolates for Jasmine, Jackson and Charlie.

They went and put the bags in the car.

"How about we go and get some coffee?" Meredith suggested.

"Sure but I'm off coffee. I need a break from it."

Meredith had a strange thought go through her mind and looked at Jasmine quickly before they headed back to get coffee.

Ordering the three of them sat and Meredith took Cooper out of the carrier. She knew he was due for a feed so she started feeding him.

"Have you been having a lot of late nights Jas?"

"Yeah well Asher has been up all night for the past week. Mum and dad aren't too happy but what are you supposed to do when they cry and Billie is trying her best for the kids. She is really trying to prove to our parents and social services that she can do this. I've been up some nights getting Boyd and putting him to sleep while she tries to settle Asher."

"Well what are your parents doing?"

"Well at this moment this week they have taken a spur of the moment holiday or a stress holiday to the Bahamas. I don't think it is called a stress holiday if they have planned to go since August last year. Mum has been no help whenever she is here. She always leaves Billie alone and half the time she doesn't know what to do and she has to ring a midwife to tell her what to do." She says. "And I'm pretty sure she wants Billie to move out but Billie still needs our family help at the moment because she is so lost."

"Have you said anything to your parents?"

"They are never home to say anything to. They are always jet setting across the country and taking stress holidays. Its bullshit."

"Yeah I know it always is."

"I just wish that they would take a step back and see that we aren't coping and every time they leave the country something happens."

"Your sister Nina, does she visit?"

"Yeah she does. Most afternoons she comes by and leaves just before mum and dad arrive home from the country club. She helps but she does have a part time job and is at Uni. She helps as much as she can."

"Does she like having Billie back in her life?"

"She hasn't said but she loves Asher and Boyd a whole lot. We usually take the kids so Billie can take a break and Nina just loves playing with the kids and doing the whole Aunt thing. So I think she enjoys having her younger sister back in her life. She hasn't really said."

"Okay then, well tell Billie that I am always around to help. She is a good kid."

"Yeah she is."

They finished their drinks and they headed to the car.

"Jasmine I need to ask you a question. You can't get offended or anything because I am asking a question just as a concerned friend." Meredith says. "Are you pregnant?"

Jasmine doesn't say anything and walks ahead of Meredith to the car. Meredith unlocks the car and catches up with her. Jasmine had the tears falling down her face. Meredith left it for a moment. She placed the bags in the back and went and put Cooper in his car seat. Jasmine sat in the front looking out the side window. Meredith started the car and started to drive home. They were a few minutes from home when Jasmine spoke.

"Can you pull over?" She asked.

Meredith pulled over parking.

"I think I'm pregnant."

"Have you taken a test yet?"

"No. They are what 15 bucks or more. I don't work and mum and dad don't let me access my account."

"Ok I will drive to the store and buy you one."

"Can you actually go and buy it for me. Your older and won't get judged. I will."

"Sure Jasmine. You just have to wait in the car with Cooper."

She drove to the store and went and bought a home pregnancy kit. She didn't feel weird about it and she was old enough to have kids. Racing back to the house Meredith hid the test in her handbag. Jackson had taken Kaylee to the park since the weather was fine today. So it gave Meredith and Jasmine time to sneak the eggs inside and for Jasmine to take a test.

"Ok you take the test and go into my bathroom. I'm going to put Cooper down. I will knock on the door after a few minutes and you let me in to see."

She nodded her head and Meredith went and put Cooper down in his cot. She went and sorted out the Easter eggs and hid them in different bags and then came and knocked on the door.

The door opened and Jasmine was sitting on the bath.

"How long has it been?"

"3 minutes and it is a 5 minute test."

"Ok then."

There was a thousand things Meredith wanted to yell but she was keeping her calm. It would have been hypocritical to yell at her considering her and Derek got pregnant at 17 but these two were 16. Meredith and Derek were finishing school and were that year and a bit older.

"It's time." Jasmine says. "I can't look."

Meredith goes and looks at the test. "You're not pregnant."

"Thank god." Jasmine says sucking in a breath of air.

"Jasmine come out here and sit with me. I need to have a word with you." Meredith says guiding her out to the bedroom.

"What is it?"

"Ok this is going to be hypocritical but what the hell Jas. You're a smart girl. You should know the risks about teen pregnancy and not using contraceptives. Have you and Jackson been using them?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Well we don't think we will get pregnant. Yeah we see it happen to friends and other people but we don't think it will happen to us."

"Jasmine trust me you need to use a condom if you and Jackson are having sex. They prevent you from STI's, pregnancy. You even need to use them if you're having oral sex because one day you could be partaking in oral sex and you may have a cold sore and pass it on to Jackson. You may be having sex and get pregnant. Jackson or yourself could have an STI which I'm not saying you do but with any partner you don't know what they have so your safest bet is to wear a condom."

She shrugs her shoulders.

"Do you know this stuff at all?"

"We get told in health but I always never listened or always waged those health lessons."

"Ok so your telling me that you know barely anything about protection during sex or the risks of teen pregnancy."

"Not really."

"Okay when Jackson gets back I am going to need to talk with both of you because it is not a joke."

"Ok it is hypocritical saying that we shouldn't have sex."

"I'm not saying that. I am saying that you need to protect yourself during sex because you will get pregnant or an STI. I'm fine with the two of you having sex but only if your protected."

"Ok you had Kaylee when you were 18. Did you and Derek even use protection?"

"Ok the night we conceived Kaylee Derek was drunk. I had the same attitude as you and thought yeah we will be fine we won't get pregnant. 6 weeks later I was puking and peed on a stick and found out I was pregnant."

"See you and Derek weren't using protection. Why do you have to come and get up me for this?"

"Because I never had a mother to tell me to stop or to use protection. I had the same attitude as you. Before Derek and I used it but this once we didn't and we conceived Kaylee. I am here telling you this because I never had someone telling me this stuff. Yes we had health class but they never went into detail about it."

"God you're trying to be my fairy god mother. I don't need someone to save me from my horrible parents." She says standing.

"Jasmine I have not finished. Sit your arse back on this bed before I call your parents."

"Like they would care. They would kick me out like they kicked Billie."

"Well sit back down before I call Billie or Nina. I'm sure they wouldn't be too proud."

She stops on her heels and turns around and sits down on the bed.

"I don't want to be your fairy god mother. I am here as a parent a friend as whatever to tell you to stop and think about what you are doing because you do not want to be kicked out from home. You don't want to be a teen mother still in school. I know that you want to finish school, travel and then go to Uni and have a life before kids." Meredith says to her. "I got myself pregnant still in school. I got kicked out of home. I was still in school. I had taken a year off to be a mum when I could have been going to med school and working as a doctor before I had kids."

"Do you ever regret getting pregnant?" Jasmine asks sitting beside her.

"No because then I feel as though I am being a bad mother saying I don't love my kids. I love my kids dearly and that love can't be taken away." She says. "Jasmine I know you would be a good mother but not for 7 years or more. You have so much growing up to do and see the world because when you have young kids you can't travel and you usually have to go by their routine."

"If I was pregnant would you still talk to me or even support me." She asks looking at Meredith.

"I would help you because you are Jackson's girlfriend and I have gotten to know you a hell of a lot in the past 5 years. I would stand by you and stand up for you when things went bad. I have been there, done that and they don't get easy. You are constantly judged for being a teen mum. It never stops. So you have to think about if you want that to happen because it's not pleasant." Meredith says wrapping an arm around her.

"Yeah I know. Jackson told me about what you went through."

"Ok well Derek is home after 1. Jackson should be back then. We are going to sit down and talk about this because you need to be honest with one another when this happens and be able to talk about contraception. It is one of the things that are important when you are sexually active."

"Ok that's fair enough."

It was after 1 when Derek came home. He found Jasmine and Meredith upstairs in bed watching TV.

"Hey how was work?" Meredith asked.

"Good, glad I am home though."

"Yeah. Jas could you give us a moment please."

She left the room and Derek shut the door.

"What's up?"

"Ok when Jackson gets back with Kaylee we are going to need to have a series talk with the two of them. An adult talk."

"About what?"

"Being sexually active."

"Oh. Why?"

"Jas thought she was pregnant. I talked to her about it and she thinks it's a good idea." She tells him. "Just about teen pregnancy and STI's and things like that."

"Ok then."

"Where is Jackson and Kaylee?"

"They went to the park. He was watching her while Jas and I went to the shops to get the Easter eggs."

"Is Coopie asleep?" Derek asks coming and lying down beside her.

"Yes he is."

"Well we could make use of this time."

"No we can't because we are going to be adults who are going to have a serious conversation about having sex and…" She says but is cut off as Derek starts kissing her neck and placing kisses along her collarbone.

Ten minutes later they heard the knock on the door.

"Oh crap." Meredith says.

Derek climbs off her and they start getting dressed. Derek opens the door and Meredith sneaks off to the bathroom to tidy herself up.

Derek opens the door to Jasmine.

"Jackson's back and so is Kaylee. They are just having lunch. Just thought I would let the two of you know?"

"Thanks."

Jasmine turned and smirked as she left heading downstairs. Meredith emerged from the bathroom.

"What did I say?" Meredith says smiling.

"Oh it was worth the risk." He says kissing her.

The two of them go downstairs.

"Mummy. Daddy." Kaylee says getting up from her chair and running over to them.

"Hey baby. How was the park?"

"It was fun mummy."

"That's good baby." She says. "Have you finished your lunch?"

"Yes I have."

"Ok well daddy and I have to have a chat with Jackson and Jasmine so maybe you could put a movie on and watch that. It will only be a short talk."

"Ok mummy."

"I'll help you put the movie on sweetie." Derek says following her into the lounge room.

Meredith hears Cooper crying from the baby monitor. "I'll go get him then I will be back downstairs to have our talk."

Meredith gets Cooper from his cot and comes back downstairs. She sits down in one of the chairs and sits Cooper in the highchair and starts feeding him.

"Oy guys we need to have a serious talk." Meredith says.

"About what?" Jackson asks.

"Sex." Derek says.

"What you told them?"

"Jackson I thought I was pregnant I had to tell Mer because she is the only one that listens."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know. I guess Meredith is a girl and she has been through it. She got it out from me as well."

"Ok what do you want to say?"

"Ok we need to know how much you know about contraceptives and the risk of not using them." Derek says. "Jackson what do you know?"

"Um you can get… um I am really not sure."

"Okay tell me the advantages of a condom." Meredith asks.

"They protect you from getting pregnant and from getting STI's."

"Do you use them when you and Jasmine have sex?"

"Um we use them occasionally."

"Ok what about when you're having oral sex. Do you use them then?"

"No. What can happen if we don't use them?"

"An STI."

"I can't get an STI from Jasmine if we have oral sex."

"You can. If Jasmine has a cold sore she could pass it on to you. Do you know that cold sores are part of the herpes virus?" Meredith says.

"No I don't know that."

"Did you ever listen in health class?"

"Well I always zoned out and the teacher never talked about this stuff. They just talked about how to put a condom on. That was it."

"Ok Derek and I are telling you that you need to start using contraceptives because you can both get an STI. You will get pregnant." Meredith says to them.

"Do you want to have one of these at this age?" Derek asks pointing to Cooper. "He is cute and all but do you?"

"Not really. I want to experience the world. Travel with Jasmine. Go to med school and be a doctor before we have kids."

"Well if you keep going the way you are going you will find yourself as teen parents. You will not have a life. You will constantly be caring for a child and will not be able to travel the world or go to Uni. Maybe you will but being a parent is a full time job." Meredith says.

"But you and Derek did it."

"Yes we did but we had finished school when we had Kaylee. Meredith had that option to stay at home with Kaylee and I went to med school. We weren't together either. So it makes it that much more harder when you are both high school students who can't take a year off. You are legally still required to stay at school."

"I am not anymore. I can leave if I want." Jackson says.

"But you aren't because you have the dream to go to med school and become a doctor. You can't skip out on school if you want to be a doctor. And it will be hard to get the marks if you have an infant wanting your love and attention." Meredith says.

"This is hypocritical." He says.

"Yes it is but we want you to have a life. We have experienced this already and it's not a pretty world when you are at the other end of it. You have that constant judgement and people always make comments and remarks that aren't nice. They always stare at you as well." Derek says.

"You've seen what happened to me Jackson."

"Yeah I did."

"I don't think you would want that to happen." Derek says.

"We want you and Jasmine to be happy, safe and healthy. We want the two of you to communicate about this thing because it is magical and it is something that you get to share between each other and you only know what they like and what they don't like. It's that one thing that you can do without getting judged." Meredith tells them. "But you both need to be honest with how you are feeling and about contraceptives because they do help prevent falling pregnant and getting STI's."

"Ok if Jasmine and I did happen to fall pregnant would you support the two of us?" He asks.

"I told Jasmine earlier that I would. I am here as your big sister Jackson and I will stand up for the two of you when things go bad. I will also be there to hold both your hands when you don't know what to do. I will be here for the both of you no matter what because I love both of you."

"I am the same but you need to promise us that you will use contraceptives and communicate when you are having sex because it helps make the relationship healthy."

Jackson turns to Jasmine and smiles at her.

"I also would like to get you to promise us that you will tell each other when you are scared and frightened and you think you might be pregnant or anything else because that's what makes you stronger and you can beat anything with that power." Meredith tells them.

"Ok Mer we will." Jackson says.

"Good. Now go home and talk."

"Oh one thing. You do want us wearing contraception but we don't have any at the moment."

"You work Jackson can't you pay for it?"

"But just this once can you lend us some money and we will promise to buy condoms on our way home. It is like our promise to you but you need to supply the condoms first."

Derek shakes his head and hands over some money.

"Use it wisely."

Jackson laughs and they leave.

Derek turns to Meredith smiling.

"I feel like a grown up." He says.

"You are one."

"I mean we helped with a relationship and helped prevent a niece or nephew being born for at least another 10 years."

"We were grown-ups. Very mature."

"Well we weren't half an hour ago." He says.

She whacks him hard and smiles at him. She turns to Cooper who is looking between both his parents.

"We will have this talk to you when you are older. Just you wait and see. We will be tougher on you as well."

"And we will make you buy your own condoms." Derek adds.

"Derek now you're acting like a 16 year old." She says smiling at him.

"Ok we won't but you wait and see. You already got to sit through this conversation once. Just you wait and you will understand it next time my baby boy."

Cooper answered banging his hands on the highchair and smiling.

"God I can't wait until we get to do the talk with the kids." Meredith says. "It's going to get interesting."

"Well you still will have Charlie to have that talk with."

"My baby sister. She is growing up so much."

"Everyone is." Derek says to her kissing her. "Everyone will."

**Let me know what you thought. These chapters are just fillers. Kind of boring but they have a point. **

**Next chapter will be Cooper's first Easter and he surprises everyone.**

**Please review.**


	47. Love Them And They Will Never Be Alone

**I am getting better. This is Cooper's first Easter and he makes it one to remember.**

**Enjoy…**

Derek and Meredith lay in each other's arms. They were expecting Kaylee to burst through the door any minute now. It was just after 7 and she was an early riser when it came time to Easter and Christmas and birthdays.

"What time do you think she will burst through that door?" Derek asks sleepily.

"I don't know. She didn't fall asleep until after 11 so she might stay asleep for a while longer." She mumbles back to him. "She always manages to have her 10 hours no matter what time she falls asleep."

"So time for a quickie." He asks pulling her closer to his body and kissing the hollow of her neck.

"I don't want to risk it."

"Hey we won't risk it. She has only had her 8 hours of sleep. We have 2 more hours of risking it."

"Well if you're quick."

"I always am." He says climbing onto her. He starts kissing but they are interrupted when Cooper starts crying.

Derek rolls off her. She kisses him. "Hey it's the joy of parenthood."

She walks into the nursery and collects Cooper from his crib.

"Morning baby boy." She says kissing his cheek.

"Ma." Cooper blabbers.

She carries him into the bedroom and places him on Derek's chest. He grabs a hold of Cooper and Meredith climbs into bed beside them.

"Hey baby boy." Derek says. "It's an exciting day for you. You're first Easter."

Cooper just stares at him confused and then lets out a huge smile and Derek brings him closer to his face and kisses him.

"What are you doing Mer?"

"Well I am going to check Kaylee. Then I am grabbing the camera and peeing because I need to pee."

"Ok." Derek says chuckling.

"Shut up."

"I didn't say anything."

"I know what you're thinking."

"I'm not thinking anything."

She just smiles at him and starts to leave the room. "Tonight. Tonight all the sex you can handle."

Making her way downstairs she pops her head in Kaylee's room and sees that she is out to the world. She grabs the camera and retreats back upstairs to the bedroom. Derek has Cooper beside him and the two of them are watching the TV.

"You better hurry up because he wants something but I can't give it to him." Derek says.

"Grow some boobs and you will be able to." She says smiling at him. "I'm kidding. He's your son. Entertain him for 2 minutes."

"Okay but he are pretty persistent and can be a handful when all he wants is your boobs."

"Hey it's a father son thing. You're exactly the same."

"That was uncalled for."

"Hey you brought it up."

"Yeah and I wish that I didn't." He said smiling after her.

"Come here baby. Mummy will look after you like she always has to." She says as she starts to feed him. "I'm the only one who can do everything around here. Yes I am." She coos to Cooper.

"Hey I do the best I can." Derek says.

"I know and I'm grateful for it." She says smiling at Derek. "You do everything for us."

Derek leans up and kisses her.

An hour later Kaylee finally woke. Cooper was being read to and played with by Meredith and Derek and kept him from crawling off the bed. They spent the whole time holding onto him or pulling him backwards towards them. They knew what he was like and didn't want another emergency visit for stitches again.

"Daddy if the Easter Bunny hid the eggs in the backyard wouldn't Peanut get the eggs." Kaylee asks from Derek's back.

"Well I made sure that Peanut was tied up last night before I went to bed."

"But you never know. She could have got off the lead. She is a clever puppy daddy."

"Well we will have to wait and see won't we."

"Here you go baby." Meredith says handing her a basket. "You ready to go?"

"Yes mummy."

"Ok well you have to help Coopie remember."

"Are you going to carry him?"

"Well he is pretty keen to walk but he can't walk yet so Daddy will help him."

"Ok. I'm ready."

Derek put Kaylee on the ground and she put her shoes on. Derek took Cooper from Meredith and they finally went outside.

"Ok ready go." Meredith tells Kaylee.

She takes off down the steps to the backyard. Derek takes Cooper and follows up behind the eggs Kaylee missed.

Meredith sat on the step and took photos of the kids.

After 5 minutes Kaylee's basket was overflowing with eggs.

"Mummy look at all the eggs I found." She said running to Meredith.

"Wow baby you did well but I think there is some more out there. Why don't you go and help daddy and Coopie."

"Ok." She said and ran off helping Derek and Cooper.

After another 10 minutes they had found everything and Kaylee happily run over to Meredith again as happy as could be. Cooper held his arms out for Meredith and she took him into her arms.

"Wow Coopie look at what you found." She cooed to him.

"That's only because I helped him." Kaylee says to eager and making it sound rude.

"Kaylee Coopie found most of them. You don't have to be rude." Derek says.

"Sorry daddy."

"That's ok baby."

"Well how about we go and divide these all up and then you can get your present and we can have some breakfast and get ready to go to Poppy's."

"Ok."

"Do you want to divide them Derek?" She asks him.

"Sure."

"Hey mummy is the reason why we divide them up because Coopie is here?"

"Yeah baby. When Jackson and Charlie lived with us we used to divide them up evenly but because you were only a little baby when we had the first Easter they got more. Then the next year we done the same and then last year it was you and you found all the eggs and because it was just you we didn't have to share them out but now we do."

"Well because Coopie is still a baby do I get a few extra?"

"We will see." Meredith tells her. "Do you want your present now?"

She nodded her head.

"Ok well stay here and I will go and get it."

Meredith came back into the room with the two separate bags for Kaylee and Cooper.

"Here you go Peanut."

Kaylee opens her present and finds a pair of pyjamas and a Barbie egg along with a bowl, spoon and cup.

"Wow mummy."

"Do you like it?"

"Yes I do."

"What do you say?" Derek whispers in her ear.

She jumps up and hugs Meredith. "Thanks mummy."

"No worries baby." Meredith says. "Do I get a kiss?" Kaylee happily shares a kiss. "What do you say to daddy?" Meredith whispers in her ear.

"Thanks daddy." She says hugging and kissing him.

"No worries."

"Now Mr Cooper. It's your turn baby." She says to her 9 month old who is happily walking around the furniture.

Meredith grabs him and sits him down and lets him open his present. She helps him pull out some pyjamas as well and a little teddy rabbit. He was disinterested and crawled from Meredith and went and walked around the furniture again.

"Ok these are evenly divided." Derek says. "So here are yours Kaylee and here are Coopie's. And these are the leftovers."

Kaylee takes hers and goes and hides them.

"They weren't that evenly divided. I gave her about 20 altogether. Cooper just has 5 and the rest we have. I swapped them around so she didn't get suspicious."

"I know. She is a smart girl. She would have figured that out." Meredith says. "Kaylee don't have any chocolate until after breakfast." She calls out to her.

"I won't."

"You better get breakfast ready." Meredith says turning to him.

…

After their lazy morning Meredith was instructed to take photos of Cooper in his suit that Carolyn bought him. His little bunny suit with a hood. Derek insisted that she got the full effect with the hood on and all. Cooper didn't fuss either. He was in front of the camera so he wasn't shy at all to pull a smile and leave his hood on.

"Do you want to leave him in the suit?"

"Yeah why not? It is quite cool out anyway so he will be fine." Derek says.

"Okay well I'm good to go."

"Same. I'll get Kaylee and the food and you can take him down to the car."

Grabbing their things they headed to the car and headed to Richard's for Easter lunch. On the car trip over Cooper blabbered away to himself like usual.

"He is very talkative and very very active today." She says to Derek.

"Yeah I noticed that. I think he is getting ready to talk and walk."

"Great. I'm going to have to be on my toes with him."

"Just keep him in his walker and he will go everywhere in the house safely. Or just use the baby gate."

"I'm just worried for next week especially for when we are at the hotel or at the beach."

"Well remember when Kaylee started walking she started walking but the next day she commando crawled everywhere for the next month. So he could be the same."

"Yeah well I hope so."

They pulled into the driveway and Derek helped Kaylee out and Meredith grabbed Cooper. His hood was still on his head and he seemed to enjoy it.

"You are a cutie aren't you?" Meredith says to him tickling his belly. "Let's go see poppy."

Richard, Jackson and Charlie greeted them all at the door. Cooper went straight to Jackson.

"Oh I like the suit little man." Jackson says carrying him inside.

"Charlie you should have seen all the eggs I found this morning. I filled my basket up but I still could have kept adding eggs to my basket because Coopie and daddy are slow."

"Hey Coopie can't even walk yet. You got to cut him some slack Kaylee."

"Ok but when Coopie is walking it will be on."

"Ok Kaylee." Charlie says laughing at her.

They all go and sit down in the lounge room and Jackson puts Cooper on the ground.

"I think he is going to start walking soon. He has been doing that for the past week. His walking around the furniture and standing up and things like that so I think his walking is going to start soon."

"Well that means you're going to have to be on your feet." Jackson says.

"I know. Remember when Kaylee started walking. She would go everywhere and she started getting into everything. We had to baby proof things you wouldn't want to baby proof or think about baby proofing. She was mischievous. I still remember that day I came upstairs and she was pouring my perfume down the drain." Meredith says laughing.

"Yeah I remember that. She would get into everything." Jackson says.

"Just hoping this boy isn't the same."

"Oh he won't." Derek says. "We'll just lock him up. I'm kidding."

"Is Jasmine coming over?"

"Yeah she went to the church service and is having lunch with her parents. I don't know what time she will be here though. You might be gone by then."

"Yeah I think we are going to leave here at 3. Go see Steph and Dan and then go to Carolyn's."

"How long does she have until she has the triplets?"

"Well she's due in July. Around the 26th. So more than 3 months but since it's a higher risk pregnancy they think maybe a month earlier or even earlier than that. So she could have her baby the same time as Nancy."

"Which I think will happen."

"That means we will have to buy 4 presents at the same time." Meredith says. "Our 3 god children and our nephew. It's so surreal that Steph will have 5 kids."

"I don't know how she can do that. Carry 3 kids and then have them and raise them. That will be a lot of hard work and long nights."

"Hey sometimes one baby is hard work. So it just depends on your support system. You will all understand it when you are in that situation."

"Yes but not for at least 10 years or more." Richard says.

They soon all sat around and had lunch. Cooper was with Richard.

"I can hold him if you want?" Meredith offered.

"Meredith no. You sit and eat. I don't mind holding him. Besides he likes his poppy."

"But..."

"Meredith you worry too much. Just sit and enjoy the meal. I am fine eating with him. I have done it with Charlie and Jackson so I know how to multitask. Besides he is sitting here better than some of the attendings at work try to sit. They can't keep still. They are like kids with ADHD."

"Oh yeah I have noticed that. What is up with them?" Derek asks.

"I don't know. I try not to associate with them."

Their lunch ended on a high note. They all exchanged chocolates and had some dessert before they decided on a game of soccer in the backyard. Jasmine had shown up as well so she joined in on the game.

"Mer go and play. I will sit with Coopie?" Richard says.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Let's just say that my soccer days have started to dwindle. Age is creeping up with me."

"Well that is fine. It happens to everyone at the best of times." She says smiling at him. "I just think he will be ready for a feed soon so just come and get me."

"Ok dear."

After their muck around game Jackson, Jasmine and Charlie were invited over to the next door for a street soccer match with all the other kids. Meredith, Derek and the kids said goodbye and left the house and headed over to Steph's.

She greeted them at the door with her huge bump. She was almost 6 months and it looked as though she was in her final trimester. She looked exhausted but still managed to get Sam and Zoe under control and settle for a movie and made tea and coffee. Derek, Meredith, Steph and Dan sat on the porch and mingled for a few hours. They only really talked about the triplets and Meredith's trip away on Tuesday to beach.

Cooper was asleep in Zoe's bed and Kaylee sat with Sam and Zoe watching the movie.

Steph looked as though she needed to sleep after a few hours of being there. They collected the kids and said goodbye after their exchange of gifts.

"Oh I forgot something at home." Meredith says. "Can we head home?"

"Sure. What'd ya forget?"

"Well I need to grab the kids' pyjamas and nappies because I used the one in the bag and I thought there were more."

"Ok then."

Racing home she grabbed the pyjamas, nappies and the other things she forgot and they headed to the Shepherd's house. The driveway was full of cars and everyone else seemed as they were already there for dinner.

They grabbed the kids and the baby bag and the presents and headed inside.

"Hello everyone. You are all finally here?" Carolyn says. The atmosphere inside was a real celebratory vibe and it seemed as though everyone was in a mood to party. "You have him in his suit. Very cute must I say."

"Yes he is not overly fussed at all with it." Derek says placing the hood on his head. They watch as Cooper starts smiling and lets out a little giggle.

Kaylee had taken off to find her cousins and Meredith, Derek and Carolyn were playing with Cooper and his hood. He seemed to enjoy the game and started pulling his hood over his head before pulling it up and revealing a smile.

"Oh Coopie you are a funny boy." Meredith says.

"Here they are. Where is Cooper?" Kathleen says walking into the foyer. "Come here big boy."

Meredith passes him off and Derek and her go and get a drink before joining the adults in the lounge room.

"Happy Easter everyone." Meredith says.

The replies are said at the same time so it doesn't sound like words at all. It just sounds like a commotion. The rounds are made hugging and kissing everyone and then the nieces and nephews come and join them all in the lounge room.

"Ok dinner won't be ready for a little while but how about some nibbles and some wine?" Carolyn asks everyone.

With an agreement Carolyn leaves the lounge room to fetch the plates she made up.

"Meredith what day are you going to the city?" Nancy asks her.

"Tuesday. We decided on having tomorrow as a packing day and we are leaving first thing Tuesday morning and we should be back Saturday."

"Ok as soon as you get back you can help me plan my baby shower."

"Funny thing Steph wants me to help her but I will be happy to help."

"Why didn't you ask your older sister?" Kathleen asks as she enters the lounge room with Cooper.

"Well because you are busy working and Meredith isn't."

"Well she could be applying for hospitals."

"To my defence I don't have my results back yet so I can't apply."

"She won't need to apply. She would just have to rock up at Seattle Grace and they will give her a job on the spot." Kathleen says sitting down. "It's called famous mothers and family."

"Well I'm not going to do that." Meredith says quietly. "But what's the point they are going to argue anyway."

Derek just smiles at her.

"Hey Meredith is a smart girl."

"And I'm not saying she isn't. It's just that she doesn't have to apply she could just rock up at most hospitals and get a job."

"You can't do that Kathleen. They need to have the applications so they can see their results and all that stuff. Then Human Resources can organise their badges and all their files. It takes time to do that Kath."

"Yes but what I'm trying to say…" She says before she is interrupted.

"Look at Cooper." Tom says.

Everyone seems to rise slowly to watch him. He stands there for a moment and then he pushes one foot in front of him and then the next. He walks out of the lounge room and everyone gets up and follows him to the kitchen where Carolyn is.

"What is going on?" Carolyn asks.

"Look at Coopie Ma." Amelia says.

Carolyn looks at Cooper and sees him walking. She bends down and holds her arms out. Cooper starts smiling and giggling at the same time and he reaches Carolyn's arms. She picks him up and kisses him.

Meredith runs towards Carolyn.

"You're walking baby. Look at you." Meredith says taking him in her arms. "I'm proud of you baby."

Derek comes forward and kisses him. "You're growing too fast." Derek says to him.

The hormonal fight that Nancy and Kathleen were going to have had come to an end and everyone had gotten into the holiday spirit of being happy and around each other.

Later that night when everyone situated themselves back in the lounge room the kids were all bathed and in their pyjamas and eating their ice cream while the adults sat around talking about the plans for the holidays and everything that had happened in the past week. Meredith sat feeding Cooper. Derek was close beside her and he leant his head on her shoulder and was looking at his baby boy.

The whole Cooper walking thing had stopped. He didn't know why everyone was fussed but he decided that he was quicker crawling everywhere and that if people carried him he would be quicker that way as well so he would rather crawl then walk.

After she fed Cooper she passed him to Derek to hold and Derek got Cooper to sleep.

"Ok well I think we are going to get going." Nancy says rising from the lounge. "Tom has an early start tomorrow and so do I."

They kissed everyone goodbye and collected Conner, Caitlin and Maddie.

Meredith and Derek shared a look. "You ready?" Derek asks.

"Yeah. Kaylee is ready for bed so we better head home."

"Ok we are heading home as well Ma." Derek says to her.

"Well ok then." She says. "I will see you guys later."

"Come on Kaylee. Go say goodbye to everyone."

Kaylee made her rounds and Carolyn picked her up.

"Have fun at the beach next week sweetie. Make sure you take plenty of photos as well."

"I will Nanna. You have fun at home."

Carolyn laughed and smiled. "I will. When you come back I will come and see you ok."

"Ok Nanna." Carolyn placed her on the ground.

"Thanks for dinner and have a good night." Meredith says grabbing Kaylee's hand.

"We will."

They strapped the kids into the car and Meredith drove home. Kaylee had fallen asleep on the trip home.

"Just wait a minute." Derek says. "She only just fell asleep so we will give her that chance to fall into a deep slumber before we move her."

She nodded her head. "Did you have fun today?"

"Yeah I did. It was great. Cooper's first Easter. And Coopie's walking. I can't believe it."

"I know. I still think it's funny that he gave up the walking because he thought that it was slower than crawling."

"It must be something our kids do. Kaylee did it and now Coopie done it."

"Well it will be a test to see what happens with our other kids."

"I'm just trying to figure out if it's a Grey or a Shepherd thing?" Derek says.

"Yeah me too. Charlie and Jackson though started walking when they were 11 months or so and they kept walking. I don't know what I did because my mother never told me anything."

"Hey its fine. There are things that I have never been told so it's ok. We can be the clueless ones." He says smiling.

She giggles quietly and Derek leans in and kisses her.

"I love you." He says.

"I love you too."

They grabbed their sleeping kids and carried them inside and tucked them into the warmth of their beds.

"Is he asleep?" Derek asks Meredith as she enters the bedroom.

"Yeah he is. He just woke when I put him down. He just needed to feel as if he wasn't alone."

"He will never be alone. We will show him that every day for the rest of his life." Derek says taking her into his arms and kissing her temple. "You still owe me something from this morning."

"I know I do and I was going to ask if you wanted to join me in the bath first."

"A bath sounds nice. I will go and draw one for us." He says kissing her again.

Meredith went and sat on the bed and took out the journals and wrote about today's events.

_Cooper's first Easter today. We spent lunch with Richard and the kids. Then had an afternoon with Steph and Dan. Then went for dinner at the Shepherd's residents. Cooper graced us with his first steps but decided that crawling was a quicker option or being carried. He was carried and shown that he would never be alone. He would have family to pick him up if he fell._

"Bath's ready." Derek says from behind her.

"I'm becoming Meredith Grey Shepherd tomorrow. As soon as city hall opens tomorrow morning I'm going down there to change my name and officially become a Shepherd."

"Are you sure you want to become part of the family." He asks sarcastically.

"Hey I've been part of this family for 10 years. I know how much caring and love and compassion is thrown around that family especially if you all fight I know that by the end of the day you can be who you want to be and no one will judge you and they accept you. The Shepherd's are very important to me because they gave me a mother and a father especially since mine didn't care about me or my siblings. They were there and showed me that I wasn't alone in this world."

"We showed you things that you hadn't been showed. We showed you love because no one told you that they loved you." He says to her. "We will always accept you. If we weren't together my mother would still care for you. She loves you like another child. My sisters love you like a sister because you have been as sister to them and showed them how to experience the different things in life. I love you because you are you. Everything about you I love and I wouldn't care if you didn't change your name because I know that you love me. You don't need to change your name to show that you love someone you just need to love them and that's all that matters."

She smiles at him. "Love them and tell them that they will be there for each other. They will never be alone."

**What'd ya think? Please let me know. **

**Next chapter is Meredith, Izzie, Cristina, Kaylee and Cooper's week to the city. The next chapter is a bit of a what if chapter. Regarding what would happen if Cooper was never conceived that night of her 21****st**** party. Totally thought of the idea before it was even released to us fans. **

**On a second note I really loved last night's episode. The ending scene topped it off for me. It was so precious and cute. Happy family for them.**

**Let me know what you thought. Next post will be up soon.**


	48. I Prefer This Ending

**Next chapter is up. This is Meredith's thoughts on what may have happened if Cooper was never conceived. **

**Hopefully you enjoy..**

"Come on Kay. Time to get up sweetie. We have to start getting ready to go to the beach." Meredith whispers in her ear.

"Kay." Cooper says from Meredith's hip.

Kaylee woke and looked around before smiling.

"Morning mummy."

"Hey baby girl. Come on we are going to have some breakfast and then get dressed and then go."

She climbed out of bed and grasped Meredith's hand and they walked to the kitchen.

"Where's daddy?"

"He is at work but we will stop in and see him before we leave that's why we have to hurry because he has a surgery this morning."

"Ok mummy."

Kaylee finished breakfast and went and got ready and Meredith started bathing Cooper.

"Mummy why can Coopie bath in there and I have to use the bathtub?"

"Well Coopie is a little big for the sink but it's an easy option when you are on the go. You are just too big to fit in the sink my dear."

"Well did you bath me in the sink?"

"Yeah a lot of the times. I used to just after you would have breakfast because you managed to always cover yourself in breakfast so it was always a quick wash in the sink."

"Oh ok."

"Can you do me a favour sweetie?"

"Yes mummy."

"Can you go into the laundry and grab the change mat and the baby towel."

"Ok mummy."

She went and grabbed the mat and towel for Meredith and laid it on the bench.

"Thank you sweetie."

"Is that all you want?"

"Yes it is." She tells her. "Ok Coopie you are all done."

She lifts him from the sink and lays him down on the change mat and wraps him in the towel. Kaylee managed to set herself on the bench.

"How far away is the beach?"

"A few hours."

"Have I been there before?"

"Yes. When you were 2 months old. Aunty Nancy had her wedding there. We ended up spending a week there instead of 3 days but it was good fun. Your daddy and I had a good time." Meredith says with a smile reminiscing the memories from that time.

"Were you and daddy together?"

"No we weren't."

"Mummy what would have happened if Coopie wasn't here because you said that Coopie brought you two together and I know that he was marrying that other lady?"

"Well you wouldn't have a very gorgeous baby brother. Your daddy wouldn't be living with us and he would be with the other lady and not us."

"Would he have still been my daddy?"

"Of course he would have. He loves you so much and that love can't be taken away. He would always look out for his little girl."

"Well would that lady be my mummy too?"

"That would be your choice. It would all be your decision and no one could force you to make that decision."

"I kind of like this better with daddy and Coopie."

"Me too." Meredith says smiling at Kaylee.

"Ok Coopie is good to go." Meredith says.

"Are you ready mummy?"

"Yeah baby. I was ready before you woke."

"Are we ready to go then?"

"Just about. I need to pack your snacks and Cooper's baby bag."

"Are the bags in the car?"

"Yes daddy helped me with that this morning."

"Do we have room for Aunt Cristina and Aunt Izzie?"

"Yes sweetie. Don't you worry?"

"I'm not."

"Yeah you are."

"Well I'm just so excited mummy. I can't wait."

"Ok sweetie for me can you go and grab your teddy and Coopie's teddy and then grab your activity bag with your colouring books and DVD's."

She toddled off and Meredith held Cooper and started to clean the kitchen up and organised the baby bag and the snack bag. She had expressed bottles of milk ready to go so just in case he wanted a bottle on the trip up there. She set the bags at the door and Kaylee came with the teddies and bag.

"Ok shoes and we can go."

The three of them made it out the door and Meredith strapped the kids in the car and went back inside for the last few things and locked up. She packed the car and they headed to the hospital.

"Ok we have to be quick baby." Meredith says grabbing her phone. "I'll call daddy to let him know we are here."

She reached Derek and they went inside and met him.

"I'm going to miss you daddy." Kaylee says.

"I'm going to miss you even more." He says kissing her and putting her on the ground. "Bye baby boy. I will see you soon little buddy. No more walking until you get back." Cooper just smiled and Derek kissed his cheek.

"Kaylee can you hold Coopie for a minute." Derek asks her.

"Yes daddy." She says taking Cooper into her arms.

Derek wraps his arms around her waist and Meredith wraps hers around his neck.

"Have fun but not too much fun." He says. "Call me when you get a chance."

"Ok I will and no parties while I'm gone." She says. "Have fun working."

Derek kissed her tenderly and passionately.

"Hey G rated please." Mark says walking up to them.

They both pull apart and her pulls her in for an embrace. "I love you."

"I love you too. I will see you soon okay?"

"Always."

"I better go before I can't."

They let each other go and wave goodbye and head to the car.

"You'll be fine Shepherd. It's only a few days and hopefully you have a case that takes up all that time." Mark says to him.

"It's so weird saying goodbye because we haven't been apart for this long since we have been a couple."

"Yeah well here is to the first of many times."

Meredith got the kids back in the car and headed to Cristina's to pick her and Izzie up.

"God Grey, where do you expect us to fit?" Cristina asks.

"Hey I left plenty of room. I'm pretty sure Izzie's bag is bigger than all mine and the kids gear put together." Meredith says getting out of the car. "We just have to rearrange everything that's all."

The three of them took everything from the back and placed the pram in followed but the suitcases, then the other bits and pieces.

"See we fit everything in."

"You've had experience."

"You learn how to save space and make space when you have a billion things to take."

"Okay let's go then." Izzie says. "Shotgun."

"Oh dammit." Cristina says.

"Yeah you get to feed Cooper if he wants his bottle but he shouldn't. You will be fine. Watch educational videos and learn the basics with Kaylee."

"I think I will pass."

Kaylee was watching her movie with headphones on so she couldn't hear what they were talking about.

"This morning Kay asked me if Derek and I would be together if we didn't conceive Coopie and if Derek would have still married Addison."

"What did you say to her?"

"I said that she wouldn't have a brother and that Derek wouldn't be living with us. She was scared that Derek wouldn't be her daddy."

"Oh really?" Izzie asks.

"Yeah but I told her that Derek loves her so much and that the love can't be taken away."

"She is so gorgeous when she worries."

"Well she also asked me if Addison would be her mummy."

"Ouch." Cristina says.

"Yeah but you can't force that bond between a child and its step parents. You have to give kids time."

"Do you ever think about where you and Derek would be if Derek used a condom that night? I mean you wouldn't be here where you are now. You wouldn't be living under the same roof. You would only have Kaylee. I mean that is a lot to think about."

"Yeah I do. I wouldn't be Derek's wife. I would be a single mother who got knocked up in high school."

"Well you did get knocked up in high school."

"I mean I would become part of that stereotyping that happens. Kaylee would grow up with a young mother and go to school with kids whose parents could almost be mine. I know it will still happen but I would be the judged mother at the school."

"Ok well tell us how you think your life could have been if you didn't get drunk or if you had used contraception." Cristina says.

"Ok just give me a minute to think."

"I'm going to ask a question. Do you know how Derek and you were keeping the sleeping together a secret do you think that would have gotten out to everyone?" Izzie asks.

"Guys you are making it harder for me to think."

"One more thing. What about if you did fall pregnant and said that Saxon was the father. Would the truth come out?"

"Well I will clarify that and say that everyone would have known as soon as Cooper made an appearance into the world. He looks so much like Derek now, it would have been hard to keep it a secret." She says. "Maybe when he was first born but not now."

"That is true. That's why I think kids should be born looking like their mothers so if the mother was in a situation like that she could lie about the paternity."

"That then causes courts and lawyers and DNA testing. It would make things worse."

"I was just putting something out there you don't have to get all technical." Cristina says. "Would you still be with Saxon?"

"I don't know. I think I would come clean with him but I saw him recently and he has a girlfriend and his daughter is happy." She says to them. "Ok I think I figured out what one day would be like if we weren't married and if we didn't have Cooper."

…

Meredith woke that Easter morning.

"Mummy, mummy quick come and see what has been left behind." Kaylee said jumping onto Meredith's bed.

Meredith rose from the bed and a headache was starting to overtake her. Why did she have to drink a bottle of tequila last night? Yeah that's right. Saxon and her broke things off and then Derek came around all happy and married and flaunted that in front of her. He told her that he and Addie were thinking about children. It made her sick. The father of her child would have more kids with another woman. He was supposed to finish having those babies with Meredith.

"Ok baby girl. You just have to give me a minute okay. Go and put your shoes on and watch some TV and I will be right down."

"Ok mummy." She said leaving the bedroom.

Meredith went and collapsed in front of the toilet and felt nauseous. She really regretted drinking the whole bottle.

She stayed in front of the toilet for most of the morning and finally got up because she had to be with her daughter.

She watched Kaylee search for the eggs that Meredith laid out last night before the break up with Saxon and the cheery Derek. Kaylee was over the moon to be hunting for eggs.

This is what made Meredith happy whenever her daughter was happy. She wished that there was a sibling for Kaylee and she always thought about her birthday from 2 years ago when Derek and her slept together 7 weeks before his wedding. She always thought what if the condom broke or they didn't use one at all she could have another baby with Derek and the chance to maybe be with him.

Kaylee collected all the eggs and the two of them went inside and sat watching TV. The phone started ringing and Meredith answered.

"Hello."

"_Hey Mer, why don't you bring the kid over to mine and we can talk." Cristina said into the phone._

"Yeah ok. I need to talk to someone rather than drown my sorrows with a bottle of tequila each night."

"_What's up?"_

"I will wait until I get to yours. Too much to explain over the phone."

"_Ok well get your arse here."_

"Yeah I should be there in about an hour."

"_Good see you then."_

Meredith hung up the phone and turned to Kaylee. "Come on sweetie we are going to Aunt Cristina's."

"Mummy I need to shower."

"I know me too. Just jump in with me and we can get ready together."

"Can you do my hair nice and pretty?"

"Sure baby."

The house was rather lonely with just Kaylee and Meredith. It was too big to accommodate them. Jackson and Charlie moved out when Richard came back to town and Derek moved out when Kaylee was 16 months old so it was quiet.

Meredith and Kaylee showered and dressed. Meredith braided Kaylee's hair and helped her brush her teeth. Kaylee went and got her shoes on. Meredith had to have a moment to herself. Along with Derek being cheery and happy he had been making life hell for Meredith. He always made her feel upset when he left her.

They were just about to leave the house when a knock came at the door. She opened it to Derek.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

"Well Ma is having Easter dinner tonight and wanted me to invite you and Kaylee over."

"I don't think it's a very good idea."

"Meredith you are family. Kaylee is my daughter. You are like a sister and a daughter to my family. Kaylee is family. Ma really wants you there tonight considering you keep cancelling."

"Ok fine. We will be there. It will be good for Kaylee to be with her family."

Derek smiled at her.

"Kaylee come see who is here." She called out.

Kaylee came out and when she saw who it was started running. "Daddy."

"Hey sweetie." He says as he lifts her up into his arms. "Did you get any eggs this morning?"

"Yes I did. I got a lot of them."

"Wow that's good baby."

"Do you want to see?" She asks.

"Kaylee we have to get going."

"We won't be long mummy." She says and takes her daddy through the house.

"Ok well I'm going to head home. I will see you tonight." He says reappearing.

"Ok." Meredith says. "See you tonight."

Derek hugged her goodbye and done the same to Kaylee and he left.

"Ok let's go." She says trying not to cry the tears that had sprung to her eyes.

She drove to Cristina's. She helped Kaylee out of the car and locked up.

They head up the stairs and to her apartment. Kaylee knocks on the door and Cristina opens.

"Finally. What kept you so long?"

"Unexpected visitor."

"Oh do I dare ask?" Cristina asks her and Meredith just looks at her. "Hey Kaylee you can put a movie on if you want."

"Ok Aunt Cristina." She says as Meredith puts her down.

"What is going on? You usually call me or at least message me every night and I didn't get either. What happened last night?"

"Saxon and I got into a huge fight. He came over and he was in a pissed off mood. I don't know why but he came in and was annoyed with everything. I had Kaylee asleep and didn't want her to wake up. Then he tried to force himself onto me. I told him no because I wasn't in the mood and he got angry at me. We got into a fight and we broke up."

"God what a jerk. Was he the unexpected visitor this morning?"

"No Derek was. He came by last night after Saxon left. He usually comes by of a night on his way home from work. We had our usual discussion and then out of the blue he told me that he was thinking about kids. It just made the night even worse and I stayed quiet. He was headed home so he went upstairs and kissed Kaylee and then left. I ended up drinking a whole bottle of tequila last night."

"Why did he come by this morning?"

"Carolyn invited us for dinner."

"Boycott it."

"I can't. I haven't gone to any of the family things since Derek and I were living with each other."

"So you're telling me that you haven't seen them since Derek moved out."

"I have seen them. They invite me to birthday parties for the kids and they always tell me when a new baby is born. I have seen them but I don't go to any family functions that involve having to spend time with Addison."

"But you go to the birthday parties."

"She doesn't attend the kid's birthday parties she is always working."

"Ok I get ya." Cristina says. "Ok tell me why Derek made everything worse last night?"

"I still have feelings for him."

"What!" Cristina says shocked.

"Come on can't you tell?"

"No I can't. You can't have feelings for him."

"Yeah I do."

"Mer seriously why?"

"We have a daughter together. He has been there for me and I never told anyone this but he always stood up to my mother for me. He was there for me."

"But he isn't now."

"Cristina he drops by my house every night to see Kaylee. He knows half of the time Kaylee is asleep. He makes an effort to be there. Saxon didn't, he only cared about himself."

Cristina was just shocked.

"There is something else. We haven't told anyone." Meredith says. "Remember my 21st party and Kaylee's 3rd birthday." Cristina just nods. "Yeah well that night Derek and I went home together extremely drunk and we slept with each other. I remember that I blacked out but we had sex for that whole night before we fell asleep. We promised we weren't going to say a thing to anyone."

"Ok." She says. "Imagine if you two didn't use contraception. You could have another kid. That could have the two of you together." Cristina says. "You need to say something."

Meredith just sat there. Thinking that that is what she had thought this morning. They spent the day at Cristina's before they went to Carolyn's.

The whole family was there and it made Meredith feel uneasy. She just sat and listened to the conversations between the whole family. Derek finally arrived without Addison. It relieved Meredith of those thoughts.

She grabbed her phone and sent him a message. _Need to speak with you urgently. Can we go somewhere private?_

Derek nodded his head and they went down to the granny flat.

"What is up Mer?"

"Derek I think we need to come clean with each other from 2 years ago."

"Meredith we can't."

"Derek put this into perspective. What do you think would have happened to your marriage if I became pregnant after that night? We wouldn't be able to hide a baby from everyone."

"Mer why are you doing this?"

"Because I broke up with Saxon because he didn't care about me. You care about me and you care a lot about Kaylee. We have been there for each other since forever I just can't not hide these feelings for you anymore."

"What."

"Derek this is killing me not being with you."

"Why are you telling me this now? I am married and have a wife. We are planning a future."

"Do you really think that those plans are going to work? I have noticed that over the years she has not once attended a birthday party for any of your nieces and nephews and she has never been to any one of Kaylee's parties. She doesn't show up for family things."

"Well neither do you."

"Well I'm not married to your family."

"But we have a daughter."

"Yes I know that but it is weird for me to attend family events when I am not married to this family." She says. "You know what just forget everything it's not getting anywhere." She says turning to leave.

Derek pulls her back and moves close to her making her lean up against the door. The heat between the two of them causes a heated reunion that they have both craved for so long.

They stayed there exhausted and hot and sweaty.

"Derek, Meredith dinner is ready." Kathleen says walking into the granny flat. "Oh god." She says as she sees the two of them in an embrace and their bare bodies.

They both dress really quickly and grab Kathleen.

"Look don't say anything. Not just yet. I need to say something to the whole family." Derek says.

"Fine but you better say something because I will."

"Just leave it until after dinner."

Dinner felt tense between Derek, Meredith and Kathleen. She kept looking at Derek and Meredith the whole time. When dinner finished the kids went off to play and the adults stayed behind.

"I need to say something and it changes things and makes me a bad guy. But Meredith's 21st and Kaylee's 3rd party Meredith and I slept with each other. We promised not to say anything and keep it quiet and we have until now. I didn't get to tell Mer this but god I miss you. You are the perfect woman and the reason I come to your house every night is just to be there with you. I am always thinking about you and I don't want to stop."

Meredith just sat shocked. Everyone had their eyes going from between him and her.

"Why didn't you say something earlier?"

"Because I needed a perfect moment to say something and I think our reunion got me to say those things. Your beautiful and perfect and the mother of my child. You are just the right woman."

"But you're married." Meredith says.

"I know but I wish that that night we didn't use contraception because I could be with you. I could have another child with you. I would be with you. I was a coward for not saying something but I am saying something now. I love you and I don't ever want to live without you. You are perfect in every single way."

Derek's family sat there watching in awe. They knew that he was right about Meredith. They always saw the two of them together ever since they became friends.

That night Derek went home with Meredith and Kaylee and spent a night with his family. He would tell Addison later but he needed to be with Meredith because she was drinking every night because of him. He needed to spend a night with her because it felt right.

The next day Derek told Addison and she took off. She came back to the house with divorce papers and they signed away and she left town.

Since that day Meredith and Derek vowed for a new life and that life started with a ring and a growing bump.

…

"Do you think that the two of you would have conceived a baby that night?"

"Hey we would have gone at it like rabbits." Meredith says with a smile.

"It's honest to say I don't think you and Derek would ever be apart."

"I know."

"I'm so glad the two of you got drunk and had sex." Izzie says.

"Me too. Coopie would never be here and he is my baby boy. He makes life simpler."

"I actually believe that is how your life would be have been like that without Derek." Cristina says. "We could be drinking buddies."

"Yeah drinking myself to an early death that's about right. I prefer this ending though." She says. "It's a safer and happier ending."

**What'd you all think? Let me know. I will update Tuesday after work or Wednesday. See how I go.**


	49. I'm A Mother It's What Comes Naturally

**Sorry for the delay. I have been doing all sorts of things. From studying up to get my license, working, catching up with family and things like that so I apologise for the delay.**

**Hopefully you enjoy this chapter…**

Derek had just scrubbed out of his surgery when he was paged to the pit. He raced down there to see the paramedics wheeling in a small child.

"What do we have?"

"Jane Doe. Found after neighbours called to tell us about strange noises coming from the house. Serve bruises, she is underweight and scrawny. I say she hasn't eaten in a few days. She isn't responding normally. We think she is about 18 months old maybe even two but she could be older."

"Ok thank you." Roach says as he starts examining the girl's body. "Shepherd call for a CT."

"For her abdomen?"

"Get a full CT. We need to know where this girl is hurting." Dr Roach says looking at the little girl. "It will be fine sweetie. We will fix you and make your feel better."

"Sir can we do some testing to see how old she is?"

"Shepherd I would advise to do one but her body is underdeveloped and that could bring back results saying she is 1 year old when she could be 4. We are just going to have wait for the police and social services to get back to us."

Derek left the ER and went outside and sat down on one the chairs.

"You ok?" He hears someone ask. He looks up and sees that it is Richard.

"Yeah just this patient we have. Jane Doe. She is we don't even know how hold but she is a baby. She is underdeveloped and bruised and battered. She is a helpless baby girl and she has been abused and left to die."

"Oh yes. We are getting the police and social services to interview the neighbours and get information on the girl."

"I know it's just it sucks. She hasn't even had a chance in life to experience everything and you see that she is like this. Her parents haven't given her a chance. When this happens it seems as though they don't love their children."

"Derek you do know that there are sometimes reasons why they do this. They do love their children but they have to leave them and abandon them so the kids can have a chance in life."

"Ok, but this girl has been abused."

"Well that's different circumstances. Derek life sucks sometimes but the best thing we can do is treat that little girl and give her the best care and let Social services take care of the other stuff." Richard told him. "Is anything else bothering you?"

"I'm just going to miss Meredith and the kids that's all and sometimes cases with young children make me think the worse about Kay and Coop. It just makes me realise that I don't tell them I love them enough." Derek says. "It always makes me feel like I abandoned Kaylee when I was engaged and moved out. I feel like I done the same to Kaylee as what is happening to Jane Doe."

"Derek that happened but you didn't abandon your little girl. You made an effort to be with her and take her for weekends. You made an effort in her life and you always told her that you loved her when you left her. Derek you never abandoned Kaylee. Look at her she is happy and healthy and she is growing to become a beautiful little girl."

"Thanks Richard."

"I haven't told anyone this but when Ellis and I were sneaking around when Meredith was little. I knew what was happening with Meredith. She was always abandoned and left alone. Part of the reason I married Ellis was because I needed to be there for Meredith and make her life worthwhile and not turn her life into hell. I knew her mother abandoned her and I made an effort to be with Meredith but Ellis sometimes stopped that."

"Well look where she is now. She's had a lot happen to her but she has become a beautiful person. She has been through lots but I always imagine if she hadn't been through those things and that maybe we wouldn't have Kaylee and Cooper."

"Derek you two still would get your Kaylee and Cooper. Even if it was 10 years later. You would have your babies."

"Thanks Richard."

"Hey I'm looking out for my son-in-law." He says to Derek. "Now you go back into that ER and tell that little girl that she is not alone."

Derek went inside. Dr Roach didn't dare ask him where he went because he knew that Derek always thought of the worse things that could have happened. He was just one of those guys. He was a father so of course he does that. Dr Roach understood that. They wheeled the girl up to CT and Derek let her know that she wasn't alone.

…

"Oh Meredith we are going to have to stop because I don't know how much longer I can stand Cooper having a dirty diaper." Cristina says.

"There is a McDonalds up the road. We can stop for a bite if you want."

"Mummy I need to pee." Kaylee says.

"Ok sweetie, we are going to stop in a few minutes. Just hold on."

"Ok mummy."

Meredith turned off into the McDonalds.

"I'll take Kaylee in because I don't think she can hold." Izzie says.

"Thanks Iz."

"Come on Kay."

Izzie took Kaylee inside and Meredith grabbed a nappy, wipes, the change mat and anything else she thought she would need, and placed it in her bag. Meredith grabbed Cooper and Cristina followed her inside. Cristina lingered inside the baby room while Meredith changed Cooper.

"How do you think Derek is handling being alone for a week?"

"I don't know. If he isn't busy at work he will be going crazy but I think he just needs a distraction and the week will fly."

"And then he will probably just sex you up when you get back?"

"Yeah he will. It will be all the sex we can handle but hey we are young and we have good sex stamina."

"Hey I did not need to know that."

Meredith just giggled. She sat Cooper up and kissed him.

"But I mean we are good on the stamina part of things we can go all night long."

"Yeah I assumed."

Meredith smiled at her. "Here hold him for the moment. I need to pee."

Cristina took Cooper into her arms and went and stood in front of the mirror with him.

"You have gotten big. You need to stop growing because before you know it you will be finishing high school and going to Uni and marrying and having kids yourself. You will be out of your mum and dad's house before you know it." She tells him. "But you will be a rock star just like your daddy. You'll get all the girls chasing after you because you will have the hair and the eyes and the personality to make everyone feel loved. You'll be a rock star and have the girls hanging off you but I know you will go for someone who is different and a natural like your mum."

Meredith finished and came out washing her hands. She collected the gear up in her bag and went to take Cooper from Cristina.

"No I'm fine. I'll carry him."

They left the bathroom and found Izzie and Kaylee.

"How'd you go Kay?"

"Good mummy."

"Did you go by yourself?"

"Yes I did."

"Good girl. You're getting a big girl aren't you?"

"Well that's what we do at preschool mummy. We have to go by ourselves."

"I know your teacher how told me." Meredith says. "Do you want something to eat Kaylee?"

"Yeah mummy."

"Ok tell me what you want?"

"The usual."

Meredith nodded her head at her. "Cristina?"

"I'll come and get mine?"

"I'll wait until you come back." Izzie says. "I'll watch Kaylee and Cooper if you want."

Cristina passed Cooper off to Izzie and she sat holding Cooper and watching Kaylee.

"Are you going to come swimming with me?"

"Of course sweetie. I'm just hoping the water isn't cold."

"Me too."

"My, my these two are adorable. What are their names?" A lady asks from a table across from theirs.

"Kaylee and Cooper."

"How old are they?"

"Kaylee is 4 and Cooper is 9 months. Almost 10 months."

"Well you and your husband must be proud of them."

"Oh these aren't my kids. They are my friends'."

"Oh well compliments to the chef then."

"She should be by soon anyway so you can tell her yourself."

"They are just gorgeous things."

"Yes I know. I am very jealous of Mer. She and her husband produce the gorgeous children."

"I'm sure you will too my dear. Do you have anyone special in your life?"

"Not at the moment. I'm busy finishing med school so that is getting in the way but there could be something out there."

"Well good luck to you."

"Thank you."

Meredith and Cristina joined them back at the table.

"Here you go Kaylee."

"Thanks mummy."

"Must I say that your kids are gorgeous?" The lady says to Meredith.

"Oh thank you. They have their father's looks. They don't look like me much."

"Dear they look a lot like you. They may have their father's dominant traits but their other features surely point to you. They are gorgeous and they get that from their mum."

"Thank you."

"Are you planning on any other kids?"

"Um yeah but we are going to wait a while. I want to complete my first year as a surgical resident before we bring another baby into the world. It makes sense to wait."

"Yes it does."

"My husband is completing his first year so we are quite busy at the moment. We have experienced a newborn during an internship and it's not easy."

"Well dear you will be a great doctor. Good luck in the future." The lady says getting up and leaving.

"Thank you."

They finished their lunch and got back on the road.

"Not long guys. Should be about an hour max."

"Ok that's good."

Cooper was asleep in the back. Meredith had gotten him to sleep before they got in the car. Kaylee was watching a movie again.

"Have you spoken with Derek yet?"

"Not yet. I will message him when we get to the hotel. I know he had a surgery this morning but I don't know how long he was going to be."

…

They had gotten the scans back from Jane Doe. Her brain had suffered severe damage and the doctors discovered mental retardation and figured out that that is the reason why she is so scrawny looking. They had to take her to surgery because of a bleed in the abdomen.

Social services had given them information they received from the neighbours.

Her name was Hope Cameron. She was 4 years old and lived with her mother and her mother's partner. The partner seemed like a nice guy but of a night the neighbour's usually heard fighting going on in the house but they never expected abuse from the partner. They hadn't heard anything from the past few days and thought life had settled down but little did they know that the mother and partner had disappeared and the partner had as well.

They wheeled Hope down to recovery in the ICU.

"Any word yet?" Derek asks Dr Roach.

"Not yet. The neighbours though want to come and see her. Make sure she is ok."

"It seems as though she has family outside of this whole mess."

"Yeah it does. Someone at least cares for her."

"The mother I don't know why she didn't do anything to protect her daughter. She just left town."

"Derek she could have. You don't know until you find out the real story."

"Then why did she leave her daughter?"

"I don't know. I just don't know. We might never know."

"Yeah that's what sucks. The little girl has mental deficits and she might never be able to recall what has happened to her family."

"Derek I advise you go home and be with your family."

"Meredith and the kids have gone away for the week. I'll stay with Hope for the night. You go home to your wife and daughter."

"Page me if anything comes up."

"Yeah I will."

…

They checked in at the hotel. They were all sharing a room. Meredith and Kaylee were sharing a bed and Cooper had a cot in his room. Izzie and Cristina were sharing a bed as well.

"Oh I forgot to tell you guys that Cooper is walking well he started to walk but he decided that crawling was better."

"Well he is only 9 months old. Is that too young for him to be walking anyway?"

"In the books it says from 9 to 13 months is when walking usually starts but Carolyn and my paediatrician says that its fine. I called him yesterday because I just wanted to know and he told me that it's fine. Just to watch him but he is walking because he is ready."

"God they grow up quick don't they."

"Yeah, Cooper will be one soon and Kay will be five and going to pre-k next year." Meredith says. "It feels surreal."

"You are the first one in our group to go through this. We are going to look up to you when we have kids."

Meredith just smiles. "I'm going to call Derek." She says picking up Cooper and her phone and goes to the balcony.

Kaylee follows her out.

"Be careful Kaylee. I mean very careful."

"I will mummy."

"_Hi Mer."_

"Hi." She says. "I was just letting you know that we are here."

"_You find it ok?"_

"Yeah I did. It was easy."

"_That's good." He says. "I have a patient. She is 4 years old and she has been abused and she has mental retardation."_

"That really is upsetting."

"_She was abandoned as well. The poor girl. She looks as if she is 2 years old."_

"So you don't know where the parents are?"

"_No we don't. The boyfriend of the mother was abusing her and they have both vanished."_

"Are you going to stay with her?"

"_Yeah I am. It keeps me busy."_

"Well I will call you when the kids are just about to go to bed okay?"

"_Ok." He says. "I miss you."_

"I miss you too. I will call you later. I love you."

"_Love you to."_

"Hold on a second. Coopie wants to say something." She says. "Talk to dada."

"Da."

"_Hey baby. I will talk to you later ok?"_

"Da."

"_I love you."_

"Ok bye."

"_Bye."_

Meredith hung up and kissed Cooper's cheek.

"Do you want to go for a swim at the beach Kay?"

"Yes mummy."

"Ok let's go and get your swimmers on."

They had all successfully changed and they decided that a walk down to the beach would be quicker than driving. Meredith had Cooper in the pram and he was so keen that he fell asleep on the walk down there. Kaylee was being piggy backed by Izzie and Cristina just walked beside Meredith.

"Where will we go for dinner?"

"We can just go to a laid back restaurant. Somewhere that we can still go in our swimmers and smell like the beach."

"So one of the beach side restaurant."

"Yeah they have a nice wood fired pizza place."

"Okay so pizza it is."

The walk to the beach took less than ten minutes. Kaylee was taken into the water by Izzie. Meredith woke Cooper because she knew that if he fell asleep now he would not sleep until later tonight. She laid a towel out and his clothes and then woke him. He let out a cry and Meredith took him from the pram and held him close and took him for a walk to calm him. He finally stopped crying and Meredith took him back and changed him to his swimmers.

She took off her dress that she was wearing and was good to go into the water. Cristina followed her and Meredith had Cooper on her hip and they gradually waded into the water.

"God I haven't worn just a bikini since the summer of year 12. When we went camping."

"That is too long girl." Izzie says. "But if I was a stranger looking at you for the first time I would think that you have not given birth almost 10 months ago."

"You look amazing. A little curvier but that's about it."

"Thanks guys."

"Mummy you look beautiful."

"Yeah you do."

"Well sweetie so do you." Meredith says kissing her. "Why don't you show Aunt Cristina and Aunt Izzie your swimming."

Kaylee happily showed off her swimming but decided that she wanted to build sand castles for a while.

Cooper fussed so Meredith let him walk in the water and got him to jump waves when they came by.

"I'm pretty sure we have a water baby here."

"It's amazing how some babies are great at swimming."

"Well back in the day when they didn't have hospitals and caesareans woman used to deliver babies in creeks and rivers by themselves. Women have water births. Babies are just amazing like that."

"Could you imagine giving birth in a river?"

"I don't know. I almost delivered my baby girl by myself. I don't know how I could have done it but I would have found a way."

"You would have another story to tell and you would become a hero just like your brother."

"I would have been a mum. That's it."

"Well you know how amazed the doctors were with Jackson."

"He was 12. I would be amazed if a 12 year old delivered a baby."

The girls giggled away.

"Oh I have to get some photos." Meredith says.

"I'll take them. You enjoy yourself. It's not every day that you get to holiday." Izzie says.

"The camera is in the basket under the pram."

"Aunt Cristina do you want to help me build sand castles?"

"Sure Kay."

Meredith stayed with Cooper and the two of them just watched the waves roll in and out.

"When everything settles down with work we will go on a family holiday. Just your dad, Kaylee, you and me. We will go to Bubble Bay and start a family traditions but we will wait until you are older and can swim like a champ." She tells Cooper.

"Mumma." He says pointing to Meredith.

"My boy first proper word." She says lifting him in the air and bringing him back down and kissing his cheek.

After their afternoon at the beach they had dinner and came back to the hotel and bathed the kids. Meredith called Derek so he could say good night to the kids.

"_Hey kids. I love you both so much."_

"We went to the beach daddy. I wish you were here."

"_Me too. I promise that I will take the three of you on a family holiday to Bubble Bay and we can make that a tradition. We will go every year and we can stay for a week and go swimming and play on the beach and do everything else that is fun."_

"That sounds good daddy."

"_We will have a family holiday." He says. "Ready for you song."_

He sang his song and Kaylee was close to being asleep.

"_Night baby girl. Sweet dreams."_

Kaylee had fallen asleep so Meredith got up from the bed.

"_Night Coopie no more talking until I see you again."_

"Dada." Coopie says.

"_What did I say." Derek says. "I love you Coopie."_

"Night Derek. I love you."

"_I love you more."_

Meredith hung up the phone and got Cooper to bed.

"Everything alright?" Izzie asks as Meredith comes into the lounge room after getting the kids to sleep.

"I miss him so much."

"God this is making me sick."

"It's the first time a part since you have been married."

"Yeah. You can't count being at work because I always manage to see him but this counts."

"You two are going to be one of those cute old married couples. I can just see it. You will have a dozen grandchildren and just devote your lives to them."

"I could be a grandma in 20 years." Meredith says smiling.

"You haven't finished having kids yet and your thinking already about you grandkids. You are made to be a mother." Cristina says.

"Hey people are born to do things. I was born to be a mum."

"Ever since high school you have been a mum to everyone. If someone was sick you would be at their side." Izzie says. "When I was shot you made sure I was fine before yourself and your unborn baby. You put people first."

"I would die for the people I love. I have been like this since I first held my baby sister. I knew that I would protect her and my family and close friends. I would care about them before myself."

"I don't think I could do that." Izzie says.

"Yeah I'm with Iz on this one." Cristina says.

"I'm a mother it's what comes naturally."

**What'd ya think. Let me know. I will have the next one posted up quicker. I wanted to get through all the updates and share with you what I have written.**

**Anyway next chapter is more on little Hope and the week away.**

**Please read and review. **


	50. Mummy Will You Promise Me?

**Sorry for the delay. I was going to post last night but we had a blackout. So I apologise for the wait and here is the next chapter. **

**Enjoy..**

"Did you stay here at her bedside for the whole night?" Dr Roach asks Derek as he enters Hope's room.

Derek rubs the sleep from his eyes and yawns before standing up. "Yeah I did."

"Anything happen?"

"No nothing. No news either. She has been asleep since 8 last night and it is now 6. I sang her to sleep and she has been asleep since."

"Okay. Well go get some coffee and meet me for rounds."

Derek re-joined his resident for rounds and felt more awake. He had knots in his back from sleeping in the chair for the whole night. He was assigned to do scut but look out for Hope for the day. Dr Roach was also going to drop in on her. Derek gathered the charts and camped in Hope's room.

He had to admit that he missed Meredith. He kept checking the time so he could call her as soon as he knew she would be awake.

…

"Wake up mummy." Kaylee said whispering in Meredith's ear. "I've got to pee."

"You are a big girl you can go by yourself."

"Mummy I'm scared because there are people yelling."

"Kay you should be fine."

"Mummy please trust me." She pleads.

"Fine." Meredith says getting up from the bed. "Come on."

Kaylee climbed off the bed and Meredith followed her to the bathroom but Kaylee was right about people yelling. It was only 7 in the morning and the people next door were already having a domestic.

She decided to make a cup of tea since she was up and she knew Cooper would be up soon as well. The breaking of something made Meredith jump and she had her fingers crossed Cooper wouldn't wake up.

Kaylee finished in the bathroom and came out to Meredith.

"Wash your hands?"

"Yes mummy."

"Good girl. You can watch TV if you want."

"Mummy why are people yelling?"

"Well sometimes it happens. People get upset and angry and they have to yell at each other." Meredith says. "It's something that you don't have to worry about."

"But you and daddy yell at each other."

"Well sometimes your dad is very brainless and does stupid things that make me upset. I do the same though. It goes both ways."

"Mummy will you promise me that you and daddy won't fight again."

"Well I promise that I will try not to but it just happens sometimes."

"Yeah I know mummy."

"I'm going to check on your baby brother." Meredith says. "Kaylee do realise that daddy and I love you even if we do yell and fight."

"I know mummy. You will always love me wherever you are."

"Exactly." She says kissing the top of her head.

She walked into the bedroom and found Cooper was starting to stir. She reached into his cot and lifted him to her arms and held him close and carried him from the bedroom just so she didn't wake Izzie and Cristina up. She grabbed her tea and went and sat on the lounge beside Kaylee with Cooper still in her arms.

"Is he awake mummy?"

"Well he was stirring but I think he has decided that he wants to sleep some more."

"Why don't you lay him down in the cot then?"

"Then he will wake up Aunt Izzie and Cristina."

"Why are babies so difficult?" Kaylee says sarcastically with her giggle.

"I don't know Kaylee." Meredith says smiling at her. "Why don't you go and grab my phone from the bedside table and we can call daddy."

"Okay mummy." She says leaving.

Meredith looks down at Cooper and kisses his cheek. Cooper's eyes then start to open and he wakes.

"Hey baby boy." She says picking him up and placing him over her shoulder. "How are you?"

"Ma." Is all he replies with.

Kaylee comes straight back into the lounge room. "I'm already dialling." She tells Meredith.

"Okay. Make sure you hold it up to your ear and answer."

Kaylee held the phone up at her ear and waited for her daddy to pick up.

"_Hey."_

"Hi Daddy."

"_Kaylee, sweetie how are you?"_

"Good daddy. What about you. Are you missing us?"

"_Like you wouldn't believe. You're up early?"_

"Yeah I had to pee really badly but there were people yelling at each other and I was scared so mummy came with me."

"_Oh that's no good. They wouldn't have hurt you baby."_

"Yeah but I was just scared. If you were here I know you would protect me if something did happen."

"_Hey mummy does a good job of that."_

"Yeah I know daddy."

"_Do you know what you are all doing today?"_

"Um no not yet. Iz and Cristina are still sleeping so I don't know yet."

"_Well make sure you have fun."_

"I will. I will put mummy on. I love you daddy and have a good day at work."

"_I will. You have a good day. I love you lots and lots."_

Kaylee hands the phone over to Meredith who now had Cooper sitting on her lap. Meredith stood up and went out to the balcony.

"Hey."

"_Hey yourself. How are you?"_

"Yes I am good. I really missed you last night. You know we could have had our fun on the balcony like the last time we were here."

"_Yes that was a great week. I really wish I was with you but that's what our honeymoon is going to be for."_

"Not long. I am so excited."

"_Me too but a lot still has to happen in between now and then."_

"Hey I know. I just wish those things could be put on hold and we could hurry up and go already. I just want to be on the beach and do nothing but lie there and relax."

"_Me too." He says. "Do you have any plans for today?"_

"Yeah we are going shopping for the day. Then we will take Kaylee and Cooper to the mini water park on the strand."

"_And then the Wiggles concert tomorrow?"_

"Yeah I can't wait. Front row seats and Cristina won't be able to sneak off."

"_Well get lots of photos for me please. I have to go. My patient is waking up. I love you so much."_

"Me too. I will talk to you later."

"_Yeah. I will call you tonight or whenever I'm not busy."_

"Okay well I will talk to you soon." She says. "Bye."

"_Bye."_

Meredith hangs up and stands overlooking the city. She has Cooper with her.

"Do you miss your daddy?"

"Da." He says.

"Yeah I know. He is back home in Seattle. We will see him Saturday."

She walked back inside and went and sat down and started to feed Cooper.

"Morning." Izzie says.

"Hi." Meredith greets.

"Morning Aunt Iz." Kaylee says.

Izzie sits beside Meredith.

"You okay Mer?"

"Yeah I think so."

"You sure?"

"I'll talk to you about it later."

Izzie just nodded with a head of approval.

"Mummy I'm hungry." Kaylee says sitting up close beside her.

"Well why don't you go and wake Aunt Cristina up and we can get ready to go for breakfast."

"Okay mummy." She says running off.

"What's wrong?" Izzie asks.

"I feel homesick. I know it seems stupid but I do. I just miss Derek a whole lot. I must be lame missing my husband for only a couple of days but I just miss him."

"Hey I know. It's fine. It's not lame either. He is your husband and you are not with each other." She tells her. "But honestly you will see him in a few days and we want you to have fun. So focus on your kids and you will be fine."

"Thanks." She says giving Izzie a smile.

"I woke her up mummy but she didn't seem too happy."

"Don't you worry Kay. She isn't a very good morning person." Izzie says to her.

"Well if she becomes a doctor she will have to be a good morning person because you have early mornings and sometimes really early mornings." Kaylee says.

"Yes she will have to learn."

Cristina emerged from the bedroom with a pissed off look on her face.

"Why am I up this early?"

"It's 8 o'clock and we are hungry."

"Well go without me."

"You have to have breakfast Aunt Cris. It's the most important meal of the day." Kaylee says.

"Dam you and you smart children."

"Hey she has taught her well." Izzie says.

The four of them had breakfast downstairs and came back upstairs to finish getting ready. They had Cooper strapped in the pram and they left the hotel to go to the shopping centre.

"Mummy what are we shopping for?"

"Well whatever we want."

"Mummy can we go and have our feet done."

"Well we will have to wait and see."

She clapped her hands and started to skip ahead.

"Kaylee watch where you are going."

"Okay mummy."

…

Crying brought Derek's attention to Hope. She was in her bed crying. So Derek went to her bedside.

"Hope it's okay. I'm here." He says to the helpless little girl and grabbing her arm.

She continues to whimper and the look of confusion makes Derek realise that she needs family.

"Hope it is okay. I'm going to stay with you until you are ready to go home." He tells her. "Do you want me to sing you a song?"

She nods her head.

"Okay well I'm going to come and lay down beside you and make you feel safe." He gets up on the bed and holds her. "Now let's see what about my daughters' favourite lullaby song?"

She nods her head against Derek's chest.

He starts singing and Hope relaxes to him and she grabs a hold of his scrub shirt and lays closer to his body. He wraps his arms around her and sings softly to her.

"Shepherd." Dr Roach says entering the room. "Oh sorry. Um the Police are here to talk to us."

"Okay." He says and tries to get off the bed but the grip that Hope has is restricting him. "Hope I have to go do something. I will be back as soon as possible okay?" She lets go of him. "I'll be back soon. I promise."

He left with Dr Roach to the conference room where Richard and the Police officers were sitting.

"Dr Shepherd thanks for joining us." Richard says.

"What's going on?"

"When we went to the house to investigate we found blood in the main bedroom and we know it isn't the little girls. When we also searched the bedroom and it seems as if nothing of the mothers has been taken from the bedroom like we expected."

"So you're saying that the mother didn't want to leave Hope. You're saying the mother is missing."

"Yes. We think that the partner has something to do with that."

"Are you going to search for her?"

"Yes we are. We have also called the grandparents of Hope and they tell us that Kelly Cameron called her parents every day and they said that things were going fine and Kelly and her partner were expecting a child together in 5 weeks. They tell us that she is happy and Hope was doing fine. We believe Kelly's partner has taken off with her."

"Are you going to start the search soon?"

"Yes we are in a couple of hours. The grandparents of Hope are also on their way from New York to be with her. They should be in by nightfall."

Derek nodded his head. "Okay then. Can you keep me posted please?"

"Of course."

"I'm going to go and do charting. Just page me Richard."

Derek left the room and pulled his phone out and headed down to the tunnels. He wanted to talk to Meredith.

…

The five of them were all sitting having a pedicure. Kaylee sat in one of the chairs like she was a grownup and asked for her toes to be painted. Cooper was in the pram asleep.

"Now sweetie what colour do you want your nails painted?" One of the beauticians asked.

She looked at Meredith then at the beautician. "Pink."

"A bright pink or a pale baby pink?"

"Baby pink."

Meredith just smiled at Kaylee.

"You better be careful Mer. She is going to want to have a pedicure all the time." Izzie said.

"I went into labour with her after a day at the day spa. She is just destined to come her." Meredith says smiling. Everyone around her laughs. "A lot of things happened that day. First it was my birthday. A day spa visit and then lunch at the land and then an hour after lunch she is delivered 3 weeks early. She just wanted to share her birthday with mine but she also wanted to be sneaky and make an early appearance and have my brother deliver her."

"Are you serious?" The beautician working on Meredith asks.

"Yeah." Meredith says. "I will tell you the story to get the feeling. This was almost 5 years ago so at the time my 6 year old sister and 12 year old brother were living with me and my husband. It was my 18t birthday and the girls got me a trip to the day spa before I had Kaylee. After the visit we went to his land and had lunch. The kids and Derek went to the creek to fish I went to sleep than half an hour later I was in labour and I mean full on labour. I called Derek but didn't get into contact. Then my brother runs through the door and delivers my baby girl."

"And he was 12 at the time?"

"Yeah he was. It was such a full on day but what else can I ask for. Kaylee is a happy healthy girl. The doctors were all pleased with her considering she was 3 weeks early."

"Yeah this story always manages to get spoken about with any new strangers." Cristina says.

"Hey it's a real good story. My 12 year old brother delivered my daughter."

"Yeah it's a pretty impressive story." One of the beauticians said.

Meredith just laughed. "But this little boy had me in labour for over 18 hours compared to the 20 minutes with Kaylee."

"Children are always different. I have 3 kids. The first one was 36 hours. The next was 18 hours then the other was 9 hours. The just halved each time."

"Maybe your next kid will be 48 hours Mer and you could be 3 weeks overdue." Izzie says.

Meredith just cringes. "Oh I hope not." She says with a smile. Her phone starts ringing and she answers.

"Hi Derek."

"_Hey. What are you up to?"_

"We are all having a pedicure."

"_Even Cooper?"_

"No he is out to the world." Meredith says smiling. "What are you up to?"

"_Charting but I needed a break. The little girl Hope they think the partner has abducted her mother so they have informed me of that and I just needed some time to myself."_

"Why do they think that?"

"_The grandparents said that everything was fine. The mum was pregnant and she seemed fine. They just don't think that she could leave Hope because she loved Hope a lot. They are on their way from New York to be with Hope but I just hope that everything is fine."_

"How far along was the mother?"

"_About 35 weeks they said."_

"What time do they expect the grandparents to arrive in Seattle?"

"_Nightfall. So I'm going to stay with her and have Richard and Roach in contact with me."_

"Okay then."

"_I love you Meredith."_

"I know you do. I love you to. Just promise me not to do anything stupid and take care of yourself."

"_Okay I won't. I promise."_

"Good. Talk soon."

"_Okay. Bye. Tell Kaylee I love her."_

"I will. Bye." She says hanging up. "Daddy said that he loves yo Kaylee."

"Were you just talking to him mummy?"

"Yeah I was. He was just missing us."

"I miss him to mummy."

"So do I baby."

"We will see him on Saturday won't we?"

"Yeah we will. That's only a few days away. Just think you get to see the Wiggles tomorrow."

"I'm so excited mummy."

"I know you are. You get front row as well."

"I love you mummy. Thank you for bringing me here this week and doing all these things." Kaylee says. Everyone in the room just makes an awe sound.

"Kaylee anything for you."

"She is so much like Derek. Such a charmer." Izzie says.

"I know she is." Meredith says looking at her. "She has changed my life so much. I couldn't imagine it without her."

"So you're glad that you had unprotected sex and fell pregnant?"

"Sure am." She says smiling.

"And what about the little boy asleep in the pram."

"Oh I'm glad I got extremely drunk and fell into bed with Derek. Stupid thing to do considering what was happening 7 weeks later but we have already established that that was the best thing."

"It sure was." Cristina and Izzie say at the same time.

They all finished up at the beauty parlour and continued their shopping. When it was after 3 they decided to head back to the hotel and changed to go swimming at the beach. Cristina and Izzie decided that they were going to stay back and get ready to go out clubbing instead of going swimming.

The sun was starting to go down and it turned cooled then the day before. They were just about to leave the hotel when it started to pour with rain.

"Oh we can't go now sweetie." Meredith says to Kaylee.

"But I wanted to go swimming mummy." She says getting upset and starts crying.

"Hey we can go tomorrow." Meredith says to her but it doesn't help one single bit. Meredith pulls her into her arms and holds her. "Hey it's okay."

"I'm sorry to interrupt but we do have an indoor heated pool and water slides here." The receptionist tells them.

"How about that. We can go swimming in the pool instead and you can go on the water slides."

"Okay." She sniffles.

"Let's go then." She says grabbing Kaylee's hand and pushing Cooper down to the indoor pool.

"Wow mummy." Kaylee says as she sees the pools and the slides.

"It looks good doesn't it?"

"Are you going to get in mummy?"

"Yeah I am. I am just going to have to change Coopie."

"Can I get in then?"

"Yes but only in the splash pool until I get in."

"Okay."

Meredith had Cooper and herself ready to get in. She had Cooper's floaty in the water and she placed Kaylee in her life jacket so she could go on the slides.

"Okay Kaylee go on the slide if you want."

"Mummy can you come with me?"

"I have to watch Coopie."

"I'll watch him. I have to look after my little girl in her floaty so I watch him." A lady next to her said who was holding a floaty with a baby in in.

"If you don't mind."

"No it's fine."

"Well Cooper is very good. He might whinge but he is good with others. We will only be gone 2 minutes. He won't even realise I am gone."

Meredith takes Kaylee up to the slide and they go one the first one. Meredith sits Kaylee in front of her and they go down into the water. They made a splash at the end and came up laughing.

"Kaylee that wasn't that hard. You go up by yourself this time."

"Okay mummy."

Meredith swam over to Cooper who smiled at her.

"Thanks for that."

"No worries."

"My daughter she just needs help the first time then she is fine."

"My niece is exactly the same. She just needs that push and then she is all good to go."

Meredith smiles at her. "How old is your daughter?"

"Almost 10 months. At the end of the month. What about your little boy?"

"Same almost 10 months. At the end of the month."

"June baby?"

"Yes June 30."

"You don't say. Lilly here is the same date."

"That is quite a coincidence."

"Yeah it is." She says. "My name is Lisa."

"I'm Meredith." Meredith says. "My little girl is Kaylee and this is Cooper. Where are you from?"

"Well we are moving to Seattle but we did live in California. Husband has a new job in Seattle."

"I'm from Seattle. Its home."

"Yeah I understand. I have family in Seattle as well. My siblings are there at the moment along with my parents."

"When are you heading to Seattle?"

"On Friday we are headed there. My husband is still in California sorting out our stuff and is sending the moving van to our new house and is heading here with my 7 and 5 year old boys tomorrow. So Lilly and I have had a few girl days and I am taking her to see the Wiggles concert tomorrow."

"I'm headed there tomorrow as well. With my two other friends who have gone out for the night."

"So they leave you with the kids?" She asks with a smile.

"They are young and we are becoming doctors in a few short months so they want to get out and live before work sucks us in." Meredith tells her. "But being a young mother takes the freedom away but I don't mind. Spending as much time with the kids before I become an intern and do the grunt work. My husband is doing that at the moment but the minute I become an intern he becomes a 2nd year resident."

"Well good luck to you."

"Thanks." Meredith says. "If you want you can come out for dinner with us tonight."

"Well I will take you up on that offer thank you."

"No worries."

…

Derek had sat outside Hope's room waiting for her grandparents to arrive. He was stuck writing out a chart when someone asked for his help.

"Hi I was looking for Dr Shepherd. We were told to look for him because he is on our granddaughters case." The lady asked.

"Well I am Dr Shepherd."

"Thank god. How is she?"

"Mr and Mrs Cameron is it?"

"Yes."

"Good. Okay they brought Hope in yesterday. She is battered and bruised. She was underweight and hadn't eaten in a few days. She had surgery yesterday to remove the bleed in her abdomen. We have run tests upon tests and found that her brain is growing at an abnormal rate and Hope isn't responding the way she should be. We have found mental deficits." Derek explains to them. "We have her on a drip and we are hydrating her and feeding her."

"My god."

"I have stayed with her since she came in yesterday and I have looked out for her. She has been doing fine. Would you like to go in and see her?"

"If it's no hassles." Mr Cameron says.

"Not at all. She needs someone better than me to be there for her. I don't know her as well as you two do." He says going to the room. "I'll just wake her up and then you can come to her side."

Derek went to her side. "Hope. Wake up sweetie." He says to her. She finally starts to open her eyes. "Guess who's here sweetie."

Hope looks around the room. "Grandma and Grandpa."

A look of recognition spreads across her face and Derek can see that she knows who it is. He steps out of the way and her grandparents take his spot.

"Hi sweetie. We are very glad to see you. We have missed you so much." The grandma says.

"Look what we bought you. We have that teddy bear you love playing with back at our house." Her grandpa says placing the teddy beside her and kissing her head.

"I'll just be outside if you need me." Derek says excusing himself. He sits in the chair he was at before and watches the grandparents look after her and feel as she does belong in this world.

He decides to pack up for the night and go home to have a good night's sleep and a shower. He tells the grandparents that he is headed home for the night and he leaves for home.

He says goodnight to the kids on the phone then Meredith and he too goes to bed hoping that there will be better news for Hope tomorrow.

**What'd you think? Please let me know.**

**Next chapter is the following day at the hospital for Derek and the following day for Meredith and everyone else. **

**Please read and review. **


	51. Mummy Says He Has Two Left Feet

**Next one is up. Just the day after last.**

**Enjoy**

Meredith had had a pretty restless night. She couldn't get to sleep because she was thinking too much about Derek. She couldn't sleep because Cooper had been really restless and just wanted to be in his mum's arms but Meredith could tell he was missing his daddy.

She sat out on the balcony with him because the room was quite warm as well. Which made it uncomfortable and had Meredith sit out on the balcony with Cooper trying to get him to sleep. She finally did just after 12 and she finally fell asleep.

It was after 2 am when Izzie and Cristina came stumbling through the door. Meredith lay awake just waiting for something to happen but the two of them were quiet as and managed to get into bed without making a huge noise.

Meredith from that time on just tossed and turned and barely had any sleep.

Kaylee was up at 7 that morning again.

"Mummy."

"Hmm yeah baby?"

"Can I go and watch TV?"

"Yeah sweetie. Go you'll be fine."

She climbed off the bed and left the bedroom. Meredith closed her eyes to get more sleep before Cooper woke but that didn't go to plan. She could hear the throwing up coming from the bathroom and then Cooper started screaming. Meredith got out of bed and went and grabbed him to soothe him. She walked around with him and took him out to the balcony to the fresher air. She sat down on one of the chairs and bounced him on her knee.

He seemed to stop but was still a little upset. So she fed him and he quieted down. Cristina came and sat outside with her and sank into the chair.

"I am never drinking again."

"Oh you always say that but the next weekend you are out partying again."

"I don't have my drinking buddy anymore to party every weekend. Or to drink at all. I miss her."

"Hey I'm right here. I am just taking a holiday from the drinking. I am being a responsible mother."

"Well after you finished breastfeeding Kaylee you were back drinking again."

"I had my reasons. I was miserable. I was a single mother. Derek was off about to get married."

"You do realise that you were dating Saxon."

"Well he didn't make me happy like Derek did."

"Ok then." Cristina says. "Argh I am never drinking again."

"You've already told me." Meredith says. "Did anything else happen besides the tons of drinking."

"Well you should ask Izzie." She says trying to avoid the question.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing."

"Cristina you are my best friend why can't you tell me?"

"I will tell you what happened." Izzie says sitting down on the end of Meredith's chair.

"Izzie."

"Let's just say that she ditched me dancing on the tables to hooking up with someone in the bathrooms."

"In the bathroom seriously."

"Well I couldn't bring him back here to sleep with."

"That's nasty girl." Meredith says.

"Hey you can't talk."

"Exactly why?"

"Well what about all those times you hooked up with guys from Joes bar and you had that thing with Saxon. You can't call yourself responsible and can't say that it is nasty when you done exactly the same thing."

"Shut up." Meredith hisses through her teeth. "You can't say anything to anyone because I don't want Derek to know."

"Ok fine. At least take back that it was a nasty thing." Cristina says.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to say it, it was hypocritical."

"Good."

"Mummy." Kaylee says walking out to the balcony.

"Hey baby girl. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to spend some time with you."

"Oh that is sweet baby. I was going to come and spend some time with you but Coopie wasn't feeling too well."

"I know. That's ok mummy."

"We met a lady at the pool yesterday. She has a daughter the same age as Coopie and she shares the same birth date as him. We went and had dinner with her yesterday because it is just her and her daughter here for a few days before her husband comes here with her two boys to move to Seattle."

"How do you keep meeting people like this. First Steph, then Saxon then this lady."

"Hey I just attract them." Meredith says. "I'm a charmer."

"What's this lady's name?"

"Lisa and her daughter's name is Lilly."

"Well Coopie looks as if you have your future wife."

Meredith just looks at Cristina.

"Well Sam and Kaylee are going to be get married. You stated that a few hours after Sam was born and now you meet another lady and your kids are going to be married."

Meredith just smiles. "I like having arranged marriages for my kids."

"What's an arranged marriage?"

"Well it is a wedding that is arranged between two families and they arrange for their children to be married to one another. It comes from a different culture."

"Did you and daddy actually arrange for me and Sam to get married?"

"No sweetie but I think that it would be really cute."

Kaylee just blushed and the girls let out a laugh.

"Oh you're cute Kaylee." Izzie says. "Do you want to marry Sam?"

"Maybe but doesn't he have to be older than me."

"No he doesn't. You fall in love with anyone." Meredith tells her.

"You and Sam would be cute." Cristina says and it makes Kaylee embarrassed.

"Oh come here sweetie." Meredith says pulling her into her arms. "You marry whoever you want."

"Thank you mummy."

"Now how about we go and get some breakfast and then get ready to go to the concert."

"Yes mummy. I'm so excited."

"I know." Meredith says standing up with Cooper on her hip.

…

Derek arrived at the hospital that morning. He changed into his scrubs and went on rounds. They all went by Hope's room and her grandparents were still at her side. Hope looked a lot happier.

"Derek present."

"Hope Cameron, 4 years old. Came in 2 days ago underweight, bruised and battered. We found internal bleeding and mental deficits that have caused some mental retardation. We have her on a drip rehydrating her and she is having her meal sizes gradually growing. The bleed in her stomach was removed and now we are waiting for her body to recover and look like a healthy 4 year old." Derek says smiling at Hope.

"Thank you Derek. You are still on Hope but you are on Dr Webber's service today."

Derek stayed in Hope's room.

"How'd she go last night?"

"Yeah good. She had a hard time getting to sleep." Her grandfather said.

"Yeah well the first night she was in I sang my daughter's lullaby to her and she went out like a light. Do you want to show you grandparents how good you sing the song with me?" He asks Hope. She nods her head. "Ok you ready?"

She nods her head again.

"How's my luck?" He says and Hope joins in as best as she can.

"But somehow, I'm with you, let's leave now, let's leave them and their point of view, my favourite place is me and you, I wake up in the darkest night, Watch you breathe in shadow light, A perfect world lies next to me, and I don't need to sleep to dream, I just hope I am good enough to keep you, morning sun warms our skin, distant sounds, the day begins, soon their worlds will come calling for us, But this is space they cannot touch, I just hope I am good enough to keep you." Derek and Hope sing.

"That's a real beautiful song. How many times have you sung it to Hope?"

"All the times she has been sad and upset. If she was asleep I would just sing it to her."

"Well that did the trick."

"She looks a lot lively though today?"

"Yeah she does. It's good."

"Anyway I better be going to my service today. I will drop by whenever."

"Ok Dr Shepherd."

Derek left the room and his pager started going off. 911 pit.

…

They decided to walk to the centre. It was a beautiful day and the sun was beaming nicely. Kaylee couldn't hide her excitement. Izzie and Cristina had to hold her hand to calm her down and stop her from running off. Meredith had Cooper in the carrier.

They had managed to get front row tickets to the show and that meant the Cristina couldn't sneak off or fall asleep. Arriving outside the centre there were parents and children and babies and prams everywhere. Kids ran around excitedly chasing each other and asking their parents when they could go inside. Babies sat in their prams some asleep some just watching what was going on around them.

"Mummy when can we go in?"

"Not yet baby. They will open the doors soon."

"I wish they would hurry up."

"Just calm down and hold you horses."

The doors were finally opened and they descended into the centre. Meredith led Kaylee to where their seats were and she down in with her hands pressed tightly together. Meredith had learnt that this was the trait she had when she was excited.

"I must say that this is a good spot Mer."

"I know I didn't expect to get a seat this good."

"_I hope you are all ready to wiggle. The Wiggles concert will begin in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1." The voice said and the lights went off the stage lit up._

The concert started with a song then the introductions. Kaylee sat up on her knees so she could see better. Meredith had Cooper out of the carrier and Izzie said that she would take photos for everyone to see when they got back home.

Meredith looked at Cristina and could see the foot tapping with each song. She knew she was enjoying it.

Kaylee had gotten up off her seat and started dancing and grooving away. Cooper was standing on Meredith's lap bouncing away.

"Now we are going to pick some lucky kids from the audience to come up on stage with us to help us sing this next song." The red wiggle says coming down from the stage to the audience. He stood right in front of Kaylee who was jumping up and down. "How about you sweetie." He says asking Kaylee.

She couldn't believe what was happening. Meredith sat on the edge of her seat.

"What's your name sweetie?"

"Kaylee."

"Now Kaylee who are you here with today?"

"My mummy, my baby brother Coopie and my Aunt Izzie and Aunt Cristina."

"Do you want to come up on stage with you brother?"

"Yes please." She says with a huge smile. "Mummy can Coopie come up on stage?"

"Yes sweetie." Meredith says handing Cooper over to the Red Wiggle.

Kaylee grasps hands with him and he takes her and Cooper up onto the stage along with the other kids.

"Make sure you get a picture of this." Meredith says.

Kaylee stood up on the stage singing and dancing away. Cooper just stayed in The Red Wiggles' arms smiling crazily. The song soon finished and they all looked at Kaylee.

"Can we have a round of applause for Kaylee, Cooper, Maddie, Ben, Lauchie and Abby for helping us out here on the stage."

"Thank you Kaylee for being so great up on the stage with us today with your brother Cooper. You are a little groover." The Red one says to her.

"I get it from my mummy." Kaylee says. Making Meredith smile. "My daddy isn't a very good dancer."

"Well you are very good. Thank you for coming today." They say to her.

They said their thanks to the other kids and took them back to their parents. Kaylee ran into Meredith's arms and Meredith hugged her.

"You did good baby." She says standing taking Cooper from one of the assistants.

The rest of the concert went by and by the end all the parents were up dancing with their kids.

"Bye guys we hope you all had fun." They say leaving the stage.

"How'd you like that Kaylee?"

"It was a lot of fun Mummy."

"That's good."

"The crew would like you to all come backstage for pictures." An assistant says.

"Oh okay. Come on."

They are led out to the backstage area and in the holding room the crew are all there.

"Hi Kaylee we couldn't let you get away with not getting a photo with us."

"Oh ok."

"So you and your family can come and get a picture with us."

Everyone lined up and they had taken a picture.

"We also have a t-shirt for you and your brother and we have some other nice things in the show bag."

"What do you say?"

"Thank you." She says hugging them.

"No worries sweetie. Now you tell us that your dad isn't a very good dancer?"

"Yeah he isn't. Mummy says he has got two left feet and that he shouldn't dance in public."

"Oh well not everyone can be as great a dancer as you. Where do you live Kaylee?"

"In Seattle."

"Do you like it there?"

"Yeah because my family and friends are there especially Sam, he is my best friend and apparently I'm going to marry him one day." Kaylee says. Meredith just laughs.

"Kaylee."

"But it's true mummy. We are going to get married."

"Well how old are you?"

"I am 4 years old. I turn 5 on the 1st of October. The same day as my mum."

"Well you have a long while to think about getting married."

"I will wait until I finish learning to become a doctor then I will get married."

"You're going to become a doctor?"

"Yes like my mummy and daddy. Mummy isn't one yet but she is almost one. Daddy is an intern."

"She has high hopes." One of them says to her.

"Don't even get me started." Meredith says laughing.

"How old is your brother Kaylee?"

She looks at Mer with a confused look.

"He is 9 months old. He will be 10 at the end of this month."

"Is your brother walking?"

"Well he started walking Easter night but he stopped because being carried everywhere is better. He is a funny baby but I love him."

"That's good. Does he talk yet?"

"He has started saying Mumma and Dada but last night he said Kay."

"Are you proud of him?"

"I don't see what is so special with talking."

Meredith again shakes her head with a smile.

"Well if you can't talk then you can't sing."

"That's true."

"Anyway Kaylee we better let you go. It was nice meeting you and your family. Have a fun trip."

"I will. Thank you for letting me up on the stage and giving me all these presents."

"Well that's what happens when you get into it."

She gets hugged goodbye and they leave the holding room and decide to get a late lunch.

"How about that Kaylee."

"I know mummy. It was good fun."

"Well it seemed as though you enjoyed it. It even looked like Cristina enjoyed it." Meredith says smiling.

"Yeah well it was a good concert. I got into it boo hoo."

"Oh Cris all the things you get to look forward to when you have kids." Meredith says.

"I never will."

"So I won't have any cousins." Kaylee asks.

"You already do have cousins."

"Oh yeah." She says with a smile.

"Kaylee you are a silly girl sometimes."

"Sorry mummy."

"No its fine." Meredith says. "Do we want to get lunch here?"

"Yeah sure."

Getting a table they five sit at the table and order lunch.

"Mummy can we call daddy?"

"I will message him. He could be in surgery sweetie."

…

"Dr Shepherd it's yours." One of the nurses says.

"Can you read it out to me?"

"Hey Derek. Just got out of the concert and we are having lunch now. Just wanted to see if you were free because Kaylee wanted to tell you what happened. Anyway just call us back when you are free. We love you." She says.

"Thank you." Derek says.

"Did they go to the Wiggles today?"

"Yeah they did. They had front row tickets as well."

"Did she take Cristina and Izzie along with her?"

"Yeah she did. Cristina would have hated it." Derek says laughing.

"You never know the Wiggles brings the best out of people I remember always watching it with the kids and I always wanted to get up and dance."

"I know what you mean. Cooper is hilarious when he watches it. He sits and waits and waits a little longer then when the music stops he stands up and bobs up and down then he sits down again."

"Cooper is a very funny baby. I think he just does it to make you smile."

"Yeah I think that is why he was put on this earth, just to make it a better place."

"Okay we are all done. Derek go and find out what Kaylee wanted."

"Thanks Richard."

Leaving the OR Derek rang Meredith.

"_Hello."_

"Hey sorry I was in a surgery."

"_That's fine. Here Kaylee wants to talk to you."_

"_Hi daddy."_

"Hey sweetie, how was the Wiggles?"

"It was so fun daddy. I got to go up on stage with them and they said that I was a very good dancer. Coopie also came up on stage with me."

"Aren't you a lucky girl?"

"_And then after the show they took us backstage and we got a photo with everyone and they gave us some presents."_

"You are a very lucky girl. Did you thank them?"

"_Yes I did." She says. "They asked me where I got my dancing skills from and I said my mummy because my daddy has two left feet."_

Derek just chuckles. "Oh baby you are a funny girl."

"_Well mummy wants to talk to you. Bye daddy."_

"_Hey."_

"Did Kaylee actually say that I had two left feet?"

"_Yeah but at least she didn't say that on stage to everyone else. She just said it to the crew. She was such a natural up there. Then when we were backstage she told them about everything and like how her and Sam are going to get married but after she goes to med school. She could have sat there and told them her whole life story."_

"I wish I was there."

"_I know you do. I miss you a lot but just think it is only 2 more days. Then we will be home."_

"I know. Anyway I better be going. I will call you again tonight. Love you."

"_I know. Bye."_

"Bye." He says hanging up.

"Dr Shepherd Hope is crashing." A nurse says.

Derek starts running towards her room and sees her machines flat lining.

"Get them out of here." Derek says as he starts compressions.

"We want to stay."

"I don't think you want to see me hit your granddaughters' chest with paddles. I will come and get you as soon as we are done." He says. "Okay charge to 200." He says. "Clear."

He shocks her chest and waits. The machines start up again and her heart rate starts at a steady pace again. Hope's eyes soon open.

"You should never do that again Hope. Do you hear me?" He says to her.

A smile forms on her face.

"You are really are full of hope aren't you. Your mummy definitely chose the right name for you." Derek says pushing the hair away from her face.

"Derek tell me what happened?"

"She started flat lining."

"Ok we better get some scans just to make sure everything is okay."

"Come on Hope let's go and see what caused you to flat line."

They wheel her out of her room and down to get a CT. They find that she is just fine and bring her back to her room.

"Dr Roach, Dr Shepherd. The Chief wants the both of you in trauma room 2."

"Ok."

Heading down to the trauma room Derek tells the Grandparents that she is fine.

Opening the doors to the trauma room Chief is examining a female.

"We have our missing mother."

"Is this Kelly Cameron?"

"Sure is. Found in a parking lot downtown. There is one thing though?"

"What is that?"

"Her baby is missing." The Chief says.

**What'd you think? Let me know. Next one I will have up soon.**

**I had to do the cliff hanger. Yeah so it will follow on. So read and review and the next part will soon be up.**


	52. I Don't Think I Could Do That

"What her baby can't be missing." Derek says.

"Yeah it has. They found a bit of the umbilical cord nearby and it looks about 4 hours old."

"So we have a missing 4 hour old baby and a crazy partner somewhere."

"Yeah we do." Richard says. "We have to get her checked out by OB and have her stitched up."

"Will she be fine?"

"Yeah she should be."

"Are you going to run a CT on her just in case? You never know what he could have done to her."

"Yeah I will order one."

"Do we tell her parents?"

"Not yet."

Derek nodded his head and followed them off to get her a CT. Her poor baby was missing and she ended up in hospital. Derek was determined to look after both Hope and Kelly. After Kelly's CT she was stitched up and Derek sat at her side.

"Kelly I know that it is crazy with everything that has happened but we have Hope here safe and your parents are looking after her. She is a great kid. We just hope to find your partner and your newborn child and bring it here to be looked after. We want your child being healthy Kelly." Derek says grabbing onto her hand. "Anyway you're not alone either is Hope."

A grasp back on her hand let Derek know that she understood. Her eyes soon opened.

"Hi Kelly. I'm Dr Shepherd."

"Hi." She said weakly.

"Don't try to talk. It will only hurt. You just rest up and you can tell us what happened later, ok Kelly?"

She nodded her head.

"Get some rest. I will come by later on." He tells her.

He leaves her room and finds Richard with the police.

"Derek." Richard says calling out to him to follow.

They arrived in Richard's office.

"Tell me you have some news on the whereabouts of this baby." Richard says.

"Locals have spotted his car at a gas station about half an hour ago. They said that he was in a rush. He paid for his petrol and took off headed East. A crew out East have been told to be on the lookout and we have sent a crew that way as well. We just need to wait."

"I want this woman to have her baby with her after everything that has happened." Derek says.

"Don't worry Dr Shepherd."

Derek left the hospital after his shift and went home. It was 8 and he knew that they kids were headed to bed. He talked to them on the phone again and said goodnight. Meredith said that she would call later.

He lay in bed with Sparrow and Peanut beside him. He wished he could sleep as easily as they could. He watched the numbers on the clock rollover and he was hoping for good news on the missing baby.

Meredith called and they talked for over an hour. She told him to get some rest because that is what he needed right now. Derek did finally fall asleep.

He woke at 5 the next morning and showered and headed to the hospital. He changed into his scrubs and went and checked on the situation with Kelly Cameron's missing baby. They hadn't received any news yet.

He headed down to Kelly's room, checked over her chart and sat beside her again. Kelly finally woke.

"Morning Kelly. How are you?"

"I'm good."

"Are you sore?"

"Yeah I am."

"Where?"

"My abdomen and back are hurting. My lady parts are as well." She says with a smile.

"Well that is expected after giving birth." Derek says. "I will order some pain relief." He says getting up to leave the room.

She grabs his sleeve and gets him to turn back around.

"I stopped him from hurting Hope. I couldn't take it. I told him to stop. He didn't stop. He picked her up and slammed her into the wall. I hit him hard to get him to stop. He just didn't. I kept yelling at him and hitting him but nothing happened. He was aggressive. He wasn't responding to anything I said so I grabbed the vase off the table and smashed it over his back. I told him to stop and he did but he came after me. He grabbed me by the arms and pushed me into the bedroom. He hit me over and over again and then forced himself onto me. I let him do it because he wasn't hurting Hope. He hit me again and it made my nose bleed. I yelled at him again and he ended up knocking me out. The next thing I remember is being driven out to a campsite and hidden out in a tent."

"Kelly its fine. You don't have to explain it to me."

"Well let me guess, when they brought Hope in after being found abandoned you thought it was my idea."

"Yeah I did. I just guess I didn't think of the other sides."

"I had to protect Hope so I got myself into this situation. He was going to kill Hope. I had to put myself in front of her to protect her. I ended up putting my baby first."

"Kelly we are going to find him and your baby." Derek tells her. "Do you know what you had?"

"No he wouldn't tell me. He just cut the cord and left me. He paralysed me so I couldn't move. He had it all planned out."

"Kelly you are so brave what you did. I don't think I could do that."

"I tried to fight but I had no fight in me. I lied to my family and friends about what was happening because I knew they would judge me and if I did leave him I knew he would try to find me."

"Kelly just breathe. Everything is fine and it will be."

"Thank you Dr Shepherd."

"No worries. I will be back later to check on you."

"Can you check Hope for me?"

"Of course Kelly."

Derek left the room and was pulled aside by Dr Roach.

"Kelly told me what happened. She said she had to stop him from killing Hope so she put herself in danger."

"She is a brave woman." He says. "You can tell her parents that she is in the hospital."

"Is there any other news?"

"Not yet. We are still waiting."

Derek left Dr Roach and got to Hope's room.

"We have Kelly in. She was brought in last night."

"Is she ok?"

"The baby is missing. We think it's been 16 hours since the baby has been missing. She just had to have a CT on her abdomen to check for bleeding but she is fine. Nothing but a bruised lung and cuts and bruises."

"Can I go and see her?"

"Sure. I will take you down there."

"Greg are you coming?"

"No I will stay with Hope. You go Angie."

Derek led her down to Kelly's room and Angie ran into Kelly's room and held her daughter in her arms.

…

"Mummy what are we going to do today?"

"That is up to Cristina and Izzie."

"Ok." She says upset.

"Hey you can't get cranky about that. You have gotten do what you have wanted since we have been here."

"I just don't want them to pick something boring."

"Kaylee don't get grumpy because then I won't take you."

"Fine mummy."

"We have decided to go to the go-kart tracks then we can go bowling then the to the water park and we might finish the day off at the beach." Cristina says.

"How does that sound Kaylee?"

"Like fun."

"Hey will Cooper be able to ride with me?"

"We will have to ask at the place."

"That means I will be sitting out if he can't go."

"Just put Cooper to sleep and ask them to watch him."

"That's the easy way out."

"They should let you. Anyway is that ok for the day?"

"Yeah it is."

They drove to the go-kart tracks and got the kids out of the car. Lining up they went and asked about Cooper.

"Will he be able to ride?"

"How old is he?"

"9 months."

"Yeah he should be fine. You will just have to go in the kart with the special baby seat."

"Ok that's good."

Paying for their karts the helmets are placed on their heads. Izzie took Kaylee with her in the buggy and Cristina went by herself. There were 8 others on the track so Cristina had her competition. Meredith had taken a photo before they left of Cooper and how excited he was. She sent it to Derek and they went off on the track.

He had enjoyed every moment of it. He was smiling the whole way round and clapping his hands. Meredith couldn't get over how happy he was but she realised that he would be a huge car enthusiast like Derek.

After their race around the track they drove to the bowling alley and played 2 games.

Meredith came out the winner in both games and knew that this was something she has always been great at. Cooper had fallen asleep watching the girls play. They let Kaylee play in the kid's area while they had something to eat.

Kaylee gave up and wanted food so they fed her and drove to the water park on the strand. Meredith had asked the girls to choose the water park just for Kaylee as a reward for a being a good girl.

The water park was a free public access on the main street or the strand. It was close to one of the beaches so they could head down to the beach when they finished there.

Meredith changed Kaylee and covered her in sunblock and sent her off to play.

"Are you going to go with her?"

"She should be fine."

They watched her play and had their girl talk while Kaylee was off. It was hard to get by having a serious conversation when Kaylee asked questions about the serious manner.

"You and Derek last night. I know what you did." Cristina says.

"We didn't do anything."

"Why'd you have the bathroom door closed?"

"Because I needed to have an emotional breakdown after I called him. I needed some privacy."

"So you didn't want privacy to do what we thought you were doing."

"No we didn't have phone sex. God we are not that horny."

"That's what you say." Izzie says.

"Meredith, Meredith. I know you too well girl. You would sleep with Derek all day everyday if you could."

"Yeah well that's when I'm with him we are like this. I am just behaving myself."

"You two will be going at it like rabbits when you get home."

"Maybe but we have our honeymoon to do that."

"Now all I can do is picture the two of you. Thanks." Izzie says rolling over shading her eyes.

"Hey Cristina brought it up."

"If we were in a time when contraception wasn't around you would have kids everywhere. You would have one hanging off your boob. One on your hip and about a dozen toddlers."

"There are cultures still like that."

"Well why don't you and Derek go and join them and the number of kids you have won't be frowned upon."

"Oh that's the easy way out. Trying for a baby is fun."

"Hang on that statement is incorrect because technically you two weren't trying for kids. You just got drunk and didn't use protection."

"Damn you caught me out on that one. Well sex is fun. Let's just say that."

"Amen girl." Cristina says holding her hand up in the air.

"Hey I remember a time when you said that you were never going to have sex." Meredith says.

"Well that needed to change. I was in need of an adventure and god this is a fun adventure."

"But you're sleeping with random guys. Yeah but it's still an adventure."

The girls just laugh at each other.

"Ok best place you have done it?" Meredith says.

"Hmm that would have been in the back of Alex's car." Izzie says.

"Um I got it on with someone in there basement on their pool table."

"Serious." Meredith asks.

"Yeah. Now you?"

"Ok remember the weekend school holidays back when we were going into the 11th grade." She asks them.

"Yes we went camping for the weekend." Izzie says.

"Yeah well there were these caves that you swam into. The one we did it in was not deep at all. Most romantic place we have done it."

"Serious didn't it hurt you no." Cristina says.

"No it didn't." Meredith says. "It was so pretty."

"You and Derek I must say are pretty adventurous."

Meredith just laughs at her. "Yeah I guess we are. Well you have to be when you have young kids. You have to find somewhere that you can be quiet in and are in a private place."

"Ok I don't think a private place is on a hotel balcony."

"Hey you don't know how we did it so you don't get to judge."

"Just tell me was the balcony enclosed."

"Yeah it was. No one could see us well we did it a few times on the balcony and had different ways of doing it."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah but I'm not telling you how we do it. It's mine and Derek's style."

"Did it have anything to do with the reverse cowgirl?" Izzie asks.

"Maybe."

"That is so dirty."

"Heads up." Meredith says. "Hey Kaylee what's wrong?"

"I fell over and hurt my leg." She says upset.

"Show me." Meredith asks. Kaylee holds her leg out to Meredith and Meredith sees nothing but a faint red mark. "Oh you are completely fine."

"But it hurts mummy."

"Do you want me to kiss it better?"

"Yes please."

Meredith kisses her knee better then kisses her cheek. "Go on you'll be fine. It's not that serious." She says. "We don't need to chop your leg off."

Kaylee runs off again.

"So where were we? Oh right reverse cowgirl." Meredith says smiling.

"You and Derek aren't just inventing new styles are you?"

"I think we might be. We could go on the list of sex positions."

"I do not want to hear about your sex positions."

"You will if it changes the position revolution."

"I do not want to know."

"Well you won't. I won't share with anyone."

"Oh please share with me." Izzie says.

"Ok fine but I'll message it through to you. Cristina will never no."

Meredith sends it through to Izzie and Izzie giggles.

"God that is good."

"I know. Amazing style. Pretty sure we conceived Cooper doing that one."

"Let me see." Cristina says stealing the phone off Izzie. "It says nothing."

"Like I would ever share the secrets." Meredith says to Cristina.

After an afternoon at the water park talking about anything, they went to the beach one last time before going back to the hotel room. They all showered and went for dinner on the Wharf and overlooked the water.

"Have you had a fun few days away Kaylee?"

"Yes mummy."

"That is good. I'm glad you liked it."

"Can we come here again?"

"Well we are going to go to Bubble Bay again as a family of four but you are coming to Hamilton Island with me and daddy but you will stay with nanna for those days."

"Have I been to Bubble Bay?"

"When you were only a few months old."

"I don't remember it then."

"No you won't."

"When are we going there?"

"Not for a couple f years."

"That's too far away."

"I know but it will come by quickly. You will be going to big school next year."

"With Conner, Claire and Sam?"

"Yes."

"I'm excited."

"You are excited about everything."

"I'm just an excited, optimistic girl."

"Yes you are who is full of love and life." Meredith says to her. "What do you want for dinner?"

She studies the menu hard. "This one?" She says.

"That's a big meal. Did you look at the other side?"

She flips it over to the other side. "Oops I was reading the adults meals and not the kids."

"You're a funny girl." Meredith says. "Quick choose."

"Um the seafood basket."

"Ok then."

"Are you ready to order?" The waitress asks.

"Yes we are."

They ordered dinner and had chit chat mainly revolved around Kaylee asking questions. They ate dinner and paid for it and Meredith decided to treat Kaylee to ice cream.

"Do you want to walk along the beach Kay?"

"Yeah mummy."

"Ok well hand me your ice cream and take off your shoes." Meredith tells her.

They all walk along the beach and reach the hotel. She quickly washed Kaylee's sand feet in the bath before changing her into her pyjamas and tucking her into bed and reading her a bedtime story. Kaylee was out as soon as Meredith reached the 4th page. Cooper was also asleep and in his cot.

Derek called 5 minutes later and Meredith told him that they were out like lights and she told him about their day. He told her about his and they said goodnight to each other. Meredith sat on the balcony with Izzie and Cristina and talked again about whatever they could wrap their minds around.

"I'm going to say that I enjoyed the week away." Cristina says.

"It was good fun. Great relaxer before we go back home and become doctors."

"Yeah because we won't have time for holidays or weekends away. Just non stop hospital stuff."

"Well let's just say that these are memories that will never be forgotten."

"Agreed."

…

Derek was on call for the night. He had dropped home to feed the animals and grab a few things before racing back to the hospital. He was camped out in the locker room talking to Meredith about their days and they said goodbye to each other. Kelly had finally gotten to see Hope and hold her. He had to tell Kelly that because of the abuse she suffered being slammed into the wall numerous times she would have some mental deficits but they would test for it later when her brain heeled better.

"Kelly if you didn't stop Kevin he could have killed her by just throwing her against the wall one more time. You saved her life and just think about that."

Derek sat down in the ER filling out paperwork when the doors to the ER opened.

"We have a newborn baby girl here. Found at the back of the pub across the street." Joe says walking into the ER with a baby wrapped in a towel.

"Do you know how long she has been out there for?"

"I went out there at about 6 tonight and I didn't see or hear anything. So in between that time and now she has been dumped."

"Was she wrapped in anything?"

"No she had nothing covering her." Joe says.

"Nurse, page Richard to the NICU this looks as to be the missing baby."

Derek takes the baby girl up to the NICU and has her has her admitted. He gets her on a heart and lung machine and has scans ready.

"Derek I was paged." Richard says.

"I think this is our missing child."

"How do you know?"

"She was dumped at Joe's bar across the street."

"Do a blood cross match on her to see if she matches Kelly's blood type."

With blood testing being done and trying to keep the baby alive the police come by with news that they captured the partner but not the baby. This gave a sense of relief that the abandoned baby was the one up in the NICU.

"The baby girl is AB. She matches Kelly who is AB as well."

"Get DNA testing sorted. We want to make sure that this is Kelly's missing child."

A few hours later the police had confirmed that the partner had dumped the baby girl at Joe's bar in nothing. He left her naked on the cool ground.

"Derek go and tell Kelly that we have her baby girl." Richard says.

"Are you sure because we still need to wait for the DNA testing to be done."

"This baby is clearly Kelly's."

"Kelly didn't know what she had."

"Derek just go and tell her."

Derek left the NICU to tell Kelly the news. As soon as he opened the door to her room Kelly sat up.

"Guess what?"

"Please this better be good."

"We have your baby girl waiting up in the NICU."

"You found her?" She says. "I have a girl."

"Yes you have a little girl."

"Can I come and see her please. She needs to know that I love her."

"In the morning Kelly. We need to do some more tests and we can take you up to see her."

"Thank god for that." She says sinking into the bed. "How does she look?"

"Just like her mother. She is beautiful."

**So here is the next one. Let me know what you thought. I will upload the next one ASAP. It follows on again after this one. **

**Please review and let me know.**


	53. I Would Be Exactly The Same

**Here is the last instalment from their holiday. **

**Enjoy**

Saturday morning finally came. The night before Meredith packed everything she could so they could head off as quickly as possible considering it was the last weekend of the holidays and everyone always made that made rush home on the last weekend. They decided the sooner the better. They would get breakfast on their way out from McDonald's.

Meredith was the last one awake this morning though. Izzie and Cristina woke first and went out and had coffee on the balcony. They had Kaylee and Cooper both with them.

"Hi, why didn't you wake me?"

"You need your rest. Also Cristina is going to drive halfway home then I will drive the rest of the way."

"Guys you don't have to do that."

"Yeah we do. It's the only way we can part thank you. Anyway you get the backseat." Cristina says.

"That's fine with me."

"It's quite squishy you know." Izzie mentions.

"Oh well. That's what happens."

"Well do we want to get dressed and start leaving?" Izzie says.

"I will feed Cooper if that's ok?"

"Yeah we will sit out here with Kaylee."

Meredith fed Cooper and she received a call from Derek telling her that the missing baby was found and she was on the road to recovery.

Cooper finished feeding and needed his nappy changed. She changed his nappy and his clothes and let him crawl around the room. Kaylee changed her clothes and the other two did the same. They packed up their bags and checked the room one last time.

They got the kids settled in the car and packed the car as best they could. They managed to have everything packed and Meredith raced up to the reception to check out and they were finally off.

They had their breakfast stop and waited at least those 20 minutes after Kaylee finished eating to leave again.

"Turn the music up. We can be like all those cool kids going through the streets with their music blaring." Meredith says. "I never got to do it."

Cristina turns the music up and the windows come down.

"Mummy can you turn the music down. I can't hear my movie."

"Cris just down a little."

"We have 10 weeks until we become interns."

"I know and in between that time I'm going on a honeymoon. Cooper is turning 1 and I have a new nephew being born and my god children are going to be born. There are birthdays and births and other stuff happening as well."

"Yeah well my 10 weeks are going to be spent doing nothing. I'll wake up in the morning and decide what I want to do that day." Cristina says.

"I'm going to go and do some travelling around. Not too far just around the state and maybe to California."

"That sounds like a good plan."

"And you get to do the mum thing."

"Yes I do."

"Do you think Derek's work hours are going to slow down at all?"

"I hope so but he has studying to do. He sits his exams in about 7 weeks. He does the exam and a few days later we go on our honeymoon."

"Does it feel weird going on a honeymoon a year after your actual wedding?"

"I don't know."

"I know that your excuse was that you were pregnant but you could have gone on a babymoon." Izzie says.

"A what?"

"It's called a babymoon, usually parents to be take them when they are expecting a baby or they take them after they have a baby to spend time with it."

"That is so weird. I have never heard of that before."

"It's a new thing. It's just starting to become popular now."

"Ok. Well if I knew about it earlier let's just say this time last year I'm sure we would have gone. But when I think about it Derek was finishing med school. So it was the wrong time to take a honeymoon."

"Nothing is ever the right time." Izzie says.

"I know you can't plan for anything anymore."

"Just live life not planning anything and you'll be fine."

"Well you can't do that either."

"Why is life so difficult?" Cristina says.

"You don't have a difficult life. You drink all night long, sleep with random men then sleep til midday."

"I do not."

"Well you do some days."

"Fine but what about Iz. She stays up all night baking."

"Yeah well I'm not contracting an STI am I?" Izzie says.

"Well you are bringing on an early heart attack, obesity, and a high cholesterol all those other health problems."

"Are you calling me fat?"

"No but you will be if you keep baking."

"Hey it's a hobby like how sleeping with random men is yours."

"That was uncalled for."

"As much as I am enjoying this can you both pay attention to the road."

"Fine."

"Thank you." Meredith says. "Izzie can get fat if she wants and Cristina get and STI."

The girls just laugh at her.

"I had to say it."

"Well you can go and get knocked up again and have a billion kids."

"Maybe I will."

"Good."

Their driving talk consisted of anything they were enjoying their friendship because it seemed quite strained considering how busy they were. This was a way to reconnect and bring back all those memories that they have seemed to miss out on.

"Oh you stupid traffic." Cristina curses when the traffic comes to a halt.

"Please don't be an accident." Izzie says. "I want to get home."

"Yeah me too."

"Switch it over to the radio. We'll hear what it is."

"Nothing is coming through yet."

"I guess we will be waiting a while then."

…

"Ok Kelly let's go for a walk." Derek says.

"Am I seeing my baby girl?"

"We will see." He says helping her up into the wheelchair.

She settles herself in the wheelchair and Derek takes her for a walk.

"Have you thought of any names for your baby girl?"

"Maybe. I have a few ideas but I just don't know what. I think I have to meet her before I name her because if I name her before meeting her then it could be the wrong name."

"I know what you mean."

"Do you have kids Dr Shepherd?"

"Yes I do. I have 2 kids."

"What are their names?"

"Kaylee Sofia and Cooper Isaac."

"Did you have those names picked out before they were born?"

"Yeah we did. We picked Kaylee and Cooper when my wife was first pregnant and it turned out to be a little girl."

"Is she a Kaylee?"

"Yeah she is."

"Is Cooper a Cooper?"

"Yes he is. He is such a goofy, smiley baby. I think it just suits him a lot."

"Hope really suits her name."

"I know she does. She really is full of hope." Derek says. "Tell me your name ideas."

"I'm really thinking Hollie Jade."

"Hmm that might work."

"Do you think she is a Hollie?"

"She could be."

"Oh you're not helping Dr Shepherd."

Derek pushes her through the maternity ward and to the front of the NICU. He grabs a gown for Kelly and helps her put it on.

"Let's see if she is a Hollie."

Derek pushed her inside to the NICU the baby is in.

"Here is your baby girl." Derek says. "You can reach in and touch her if you want."

Kelly reaches in touching the baby's hand.

"Hi baby girl. It's your mummy. I'm sorry all this happened but you are going to be just fine. You are going to be just fine and when you are able to get out from the NICU, I am going to take you and Hope far away. We are going to start our own adventures and have a safe life." She says to her. "How about that? Hollie Jade Cameron I love you." The baby wraps her finger around her mother's finger.

"I think you have a name."

"Yeah I do." She says. "My Hollie Jade."

"It's beautiful."

"When do you think she will be able to leave the hospital?"

"We have to wait until she gets to about 4lbs and her lungs develop and everything else heals."

"Where is she now?"

"She is about 2.6lbs. She only needs to gain a pound and a half."

"Okay you have a bit to get through but we will make it. You're a tough baby. You are going to be make it."

After Derek let Kelly spend time with her baby he took her to see Hope and she spent time with Hope.

…

Meredith, Cristina, Izzie and the kids were stuck on the freeway for over 2 hours after a truck had overturned. They could have been home by now but of course something like this happens.

"Mummy I'm hungry."

"Well let me see what we have." Meredith says looking through the baby bag. "A muesli bar?"

"Ok."

Meredith hands it to Kaylee and she starts eating. She gets a fruit stick for Cooper to chew on.

"Such a sufficient meal." Meredith says.

"Well the turn off is just past here. We can get lunch then."

"Yeah that is a good idea because Kay will most likely need to go to the toilet."

"Hey the traffic is moving." Izzie says.

"The police are directing it. Just wait until we can go."

The police let one lane go at a time. It would take nearly a year for them to get through but they switched lanes letting their lane go.

"Freedom." Cristina says as she starts easing forward but when Cristina reaches the front of the line they are directed to stop. "Ok this crap."

"This is going to take forever." Meredith mutters.

"Trucks I think should not use freeways. That's all I'm saying because then this happens and you are stuck in traffic for hours and its school holidays so it makes it worse."

"Just hold your patience. We will be the first one through next time."

Waiting another 30 minutes they were finally let through and directed past the overturned truck and all the police and rescue personnel.

"Ok so lunch?"

"Yes."

"Kaylee do you need to go to the toilet?"

"Yes mummy."

"We'll we are stopping for lunch so wait 10 minutes."

…

"Derek you can go home." Dr Roach says to him.

"But I am supposed to be working today."

"You have reached your 80 hours. You have banked them up go home and see your family."

"They aren't home yet. They were caught in traffic. They won't be another couple of hours."

"Still go home because I don't won't to see you until Monday."

"Fine." Derek says walking off.

"Derek." He calls out. "You have done a great job with that family today."

"Thanks sir."

Derek changed from his scrubs and packed his bag to go home. He said goodbye to Kelly and Hope and told them they he would see them on Monday. He decided to go grocery shopping considering that there was no food in the house and he knew that they would need it.

He made his rounds of the store and grabbed the essentials from bread, to milk, to veggies, to nappies. He paid and packed his car and headed home. Sparrow greeted him at the door with his playful touch of the feet.

"Hey buddy. Do you want some food?" Derek asked him as he picked him up. "I better feed you and Peanut."

He walked into the kitchen and saw a note.

_Hi Derek_

_I dropped in earlier and fed the cat and the dog for you. I have also dropped of some muffins, made a little too much._

_Ma_

"Ok well that job is done. I will go and get the groceries and have a proper meal."

He made the trip to the car collecting the groceries and unpacking them. He also decided to make a proper lunch for himself considering he hadn't eaten a proper meal since Sunday last week. He had just had the crappy cafeteria meals.

Sitting down he took the time to eat properly. Watch the crappy Saturday afternoon TV shows and read the newspaper. He put on his washing to have it over and done with by the time Meredith and the kids got home. He paid the bills and even had time to take Peanut for a walk. She was definitely due for a walk and she was busting out of her skin for her energy to burn off and some attention.

He walked over to his mother's which wasn't that far then to what he thought it would be. They weren't home so he headed to the park to let Peanut run around and burn off some more energy before she sat nudging people to play with her.

He headed home and let Peanut have a drink of water and let her inside were she went and laid down.

Derek also sat on the lounge and closed his eyes for a rest but ended up falling asleep.

"Daddy." Kaylee whispered. "We're home."

Derek opened his eyes. "Hi baby girl." He says as he stands up and picks her up hugging her. "How are you?"

"Good daddy."

"Where's mummy?"

"She is out at the car."

"Let's go and help her then."

He walks out to the car with Kaylee, he sets her on the ground to walk and he sees Meredith unpacking the car. He turns her around to face him and he smiles at her.

"Hey." He says.

"Hi." She says jumping into his arms.

Derek holds her and kisses her as he leans sits her in the back of the car. They share another kiss again and she leaves her hands around his neck and his stay around her waist.

"I missed you." She says.

"I can tell." He says with his dreamy smile. "You can tell me how much you missed me later tonight." He whispers to her.

"Oh I am going to."

He moves away from her and goes and sees Cooper who is still sitting in the car.

"Hey baby boy." He says as he unbuckles him. "Did you miss me?"

"Dada."

"Yes it's your dada." Derek says as he kisses his cheek.

"Kaylee can you take this inside for me." Meredith asks handing her a bag.

Derek grabs the suitcase from the ground and carries in inside. He goes to put Cooper in the walker but he grizzles as Derek leaves him. Derek retreats to carrying him along with the other gear.

The car was unpacked and Derek sat beside Kaylee who told Derek about everything that happened from the past few days.

They ordered dinner in and sat around looking at the photos that were taken. Derek let Meredith have a break and he took the kids to bathe. He handed Cooper back over to Mer to feed and he read Kaylee to sleep. Meredith put Cooper to bed and they went and lay in bed with each other. He wrapped his arms around her and they talked about the missing details from their week.

"Hollie Jade is Kelly's new baby daughter." Derek tells her.

"When is she able to leave the hospital?"

"Not for a while. She has 1 and a half pounds to gain and her lungs need to develop and her body just needs to heal as well."

"She is an amazing woman putting herself in danger to save her daughter."

"Hey you say exactly the same. You would take a bullet for your family."

"I know but I still just can't believe that she actually did but she almost died for it. That man better rot in that prison cell because that was just terrible hurting a 4 year old."

"I feel kind of guilty though. I thought that Kelly was the one abusing Hope."

"Well how else are you going to react? I would be exactly the same." Meredith says as she turns rolls to her side.

He kisses her quickly. "How was I so lucky to get you?"

"Well that would have been knowing each other for 10 years and finally falling into bed with each other to conceive Cooper."

"I'm glad that happened."

"The day we left Kaylee asked me about the last time we went to the beach and if we were together."

"What'd you say?"

"I said we weren't. She also asked me what would have happened if Cooper wasn't here because we always tell her that Cooper brought us together." She told Derek. "I just said that she wouldn't have a gorgeous baby brother and you would be living with Addie and not us. She was scared because she thought that you would not have been her daddy anymore."

"Did she really?"

"Yeah I had to tell her that you love her too much and that love can't be taken away. You would always look out for her. She also asked if Addie would be her mummy as well."

"Did you tell her that that was her choice and that it wouldn't be forced on her?"

"Yeah I did. Her decision and people should respect that." She tells him. "I also thought what would happen if we didn't conceive Cooper that night."

"What do you think would happen?"

"I'm pretty sure I would avoid any family dinners that involved Addison being there. Saxon became pretty hard to be with because he was too stressed out from working. You would drop by every night and I knew that you would know that Kaylee was asleep but you wanted to come by and see me. I was also drinking a lot of tequila each night."

"With Cristina?"

"Yeah." She says. "But it was Easter and the family were all at your Ma's house. I had to talk to you about us sleeping with each other and the feelings I still had for you, and we ended up having a heated reunion in the granny flat. Kathleen walked in on us and we told her to shut it until dinner and we told everyone what happened. Well you did and you said that you missed me and said that I was the perfect woman and that the reason you came by my house every night is just to spend time with me." She says. "You just kept calling me beautiful and the perfect woman and the mother of my child.

"What did you say?"

"You're married." She says. "You then went on to say toy wished that we didn't use contraception that night and we might have another child and that you would be with me. You also called yourself a coward for not saying anything and you then said that you loved me and wanted to live with me for the rest of your life."

"It's true." He says. "What do you think happened next?"

"Well your family knew that I was the right girl. You and Addie got a divorce and you vowed your life to me with a ring and a growing bump."

"I have to admit that I think that something like that would happen."

Meredith just smiled at him. "I missed you so much."

"Me too." He says kissing her.

…

The weeks went by. Kelly and Hope were discharged and Hope's mental deficit's weren't as serious as they thought they were. She just had to attend a speech therapist and a doctor for regular scans and check-ups.

Hollie also recovered and she was ready to take home and she was now 10 weeks old.

Derek watched as the family finally recovered and finally got to go home.

"Come on Hope we are going to live in New York with Grandma and Grandpa. We are going to have a wonderful life and I will always be there for you." Kelly says to Hope and Hollie. "Say goodbye to Dr Shepherd and thank him."

"Hank you Dr Shep-Herd. I will miss you and hink of you in Ew Ork."

"Hope I will think of you as well. Grow up to be a great girl and look after your mum and sister."

"I will."

"Thank you Derek." Kelly says hugging him goodbye. "Let's go girls."

She carries the car seat with Holliea asleep soundly out of the nursery and hold Hope's hand as they go to the elevator to start their new life.

"Are they finally going home?" Meredith asks from behind him.

He turns to look at his wife on her first day as an intern and she is dressed in the light blue scrubs. "Yeah they are. A new life in New York City."

**Next chapter is a 2 week time jump and Meredith planning baby showers.**

**Please review and the update will be up asap.**


	54. We Are Getting Our Future

"Okay come on Kaylee. We have to go. I have to drop you off at preschool and then go to Aunty Nancy's and Steph's to organise their baby showers."

She calls out. It was now May and had been 2 weeks since their holiday. Cooper was 10 months old.

This month it was Charlie and Mark's birthday on the same day which happened to be today.

The next week it was Jasmine's birthday and that same day was her graduation from Med school.

She also had to plan baby showers and apply to hospitals. Life was getting busier and busier and she was finding less time to do things.

She dropped Kaylee off at preschool and had Cooper with her as she helped Nancy organise her baby shower. She went and picked Kaylee and Sam up and then went to Steph's to help organise one for her and her triplets. Steph was easy to and very lenient while Nancy was a Shepherd and everything had to be perfect and planned to the last detail.

They left Steph's and went over to buy presents for Charlie and Mark. Mark was having a dinner tonight with all his friends. It was going to be a really adult event so the kids were going to be babysat by Jackson for a few hours.

Meredith got the kids home and went and tidied up the house and done those jobs she could while she waited for Derek to get home. She started planning writing out invitations for those people coming to Steph's baby shower; Nancy was going to get Kathleen to write out the invitations as soon as she decided what invitations she wanted.

Derek arrived home and bathed the kids. Meredith showered and Derek got in the shower while Meredith dressed, put make up on and done her hair.

"Nancy is so picky."

"Yeah it doesn't surprise me."

"She was so done to detail. Steph was just like this and that will do."

"That's what all the Shepherd women are like. They have to trump the previous one."

"So your saying that Nancy is trying to trump my baby shower?"

"Yeah she is."

"My entire baby shower was just a lunch with friends. Lacey's baby shower was extravagant."

"Well there is your culprit. It is a rivalry between all the Shepherd sisters to have something bigger and better. That's why Nancy had to get the same sort of house as Kathleen but with one extra bedroom and a backyard bigger by a square mile."

"Your family is crazy."

"You can say that again."

They left the house with the kids and dropped in at the Webber house to say happy birthday to Charlie and give her present and drop the kids off.

The arrived at Mark's and saw how formal the event was.

"This can't be Mark's party." Meredith whispered to Derek.

"Hi welcome, can I take your coats?" A doorman asked.

"Is this Mark Sloan's birthday?" Derek asked.

"Yes it is."

"Derek, Meredith you finally made it." Mark says entering the foyer.

"Hi Mark. This is um…"

"Nice, formal."

"Not you." Derek finishes off.

"I wanted something different and look what I got."

"Well Happy birthday." Meredith says hugging him.

"Thank you Grey or should I say Grey Shepherd."

"You told him?"

"Well it is a big deal. You changed your name to mine." He says smiling at her.

Meredith just smiles back. "I love you."

"Hey none of this in here. This is a formal party. It is not a high school party full of horny 16 year olds."

"Well we will behave." Derek says.

The night went on and Meredith couldn't believe how un-Mark this was. There was supposed to be tequila shots and people playing strip poker and those couples in the corners of the darkened room practically having sex, the lights out and the music blaring.

Meredith and Derek had to leave it was to un-Mark and they had to get the kids home. They said goodbye to everyone and collected the kids taking them home to bed.

When the kids were at home asleep they just sat in disbelief at how weird that party was.

"Seriously something is going on. Is he trying to grow up?" Meredith says to aloud.

"I think he might be. It is very weird." Derek says. You can never imagine Mark Sloan to grow up."

"You better ask him what the go was tomorrow."

"Why me."

"Because you work with him you two are best friends."

"Fine."

…

The next week came and this was more an important time. It was the day graduated from med school. Richard let Derek have the day off considering Richard was taking the day off.

"Happy graduation day." Derek whispers. He kisses her shoulder.

"Thanks."

"You know what would make this even better."

"Hey we can do that tonight. Celebratory sex."

"Ok that is a deal."

She kisses him again and smiles. "I'm becoming a Doctor."

"Yes you are." He says climbing on top of her and kisses her again.

Meredith's phone interrupts them and she answers.

"Hello. Yeah it starts at 11. Okay I'll see you then."

"Who was that?"

"Cristina."

"Is not like her to forget these types of things."

"I know." She says. "Hey you didn't tell me why Mark's party was so boring?"

"Well I have you just didn't listen."

"Well when did you tell me?"

"Last week when I got home."

"Well you got home at 12. I was half asleep."

"He was trying to impress a lady."

"Impress a lady. Why is it that hard for him to do that? He just sleeps with them and that's it."

"He apparently really likes this girl."

"Oh god."

Derek just laughs at Meredith knowing that this could be the end of the world. They see their door open and Kaylee's head poke around.

"Hey Peanut." Derek says.

"Hi daddy. Are you working today?" She says jumping on the bed and sitting herself in the space between Meredith and Derek.

"No I'm not."

"That's good."

"Well we have to go and watch mummy graduate."

"Does that mean you are a doctor?"

"Yes it does."

"When do you start being a doctor?"

"Not for a few weeks yet."

"So I still have plenty of time to spend with you?"

"Yes you do."

"Ok that's good."

"It's also Jas's birthday today."

"Are we going out?"

"Yes we are."

"That is good because I haven't seen Jas in a while."

"You saw her yesterday afternoon." Meredith says.

"That is still a long time ago."

"Everything is a long time for you."

"Do I get to wear a pretty dress today?"

"Yes and one tonight as well."

"I'm going to go and choose it now." Kaylee says leaving the bedroom.

"Quickie?" Derek asks her.

"It won't be a quickie because she will walk in those doors in about 5 seconds."

"Mummy, I found it." She says.

"Told you." Meredith says to him. "You sure you won't to wear that one it's a bit too formal for a graduation?"

"Yes mummy."

"How about I come and have a look at what you have in there."

"Ok."

Meredith leaves the bedroom and goes back down to Kaylee's room and sorts through her wardrobe for a dress.

"Here we go. What about this one." Meredith says holding up a different dress.

She looks at it and makes a few faces. "Only if I can wear this one tonight."

"Ok then. You can wear that one tonight."

"Thank you." She says hugging Meredith. "Is Cooper dressing up nicely?"

"Yes he is."

"That's good because he needs to show you support mummy."

Meredith just smiles at her.

"You all show me support no matter what."

"You're the best mummy in the world."

"Thanks Kaylee."

"Do we get a special breakfast today?"

"You will have to go and ask daddy."

Kaylee leaves the room and Meredith goes to check in the nursery. Cooper is lying in his cot awake and watching the mobile.

"Good morning baby boy." Meredith says.

Cooper tracks Meredith and stands up holding onto the railing. She reaches in and takes him from the cot and holds him close to her body.

"Oh you are getting big. I think you have doubled in size since last night."

"Mumma."

"Yes baby. You get to watch me graduate today. I get to become a doctor. I reckon that you could graduate today with me. You have spent a lot of time at school with me. For over 18 months from just being inside me to coming with me every day. You are going to be a smart boy."

"Dada." He says pointing at the door that goes into the bedroom.

"Fine we will go see daddy." She tells him carrying him into the bedroom. "Someone wants to say hello." Meredith says carrying Cooper to the bed. She drops him and he walks to Derek and goes and sits on his chest.

"Good morning to you too Cooper." Derek says.

"Mummy, daddy said that he will make pancakes."

"Ok baby girl."

"Oh he needs his nappy changed." Derek says sitting him on the bed beside him and getting up.

"Oh why can't you do it?"

"Because I am going to make breakfast. Come on Kaylee."

"Excuses." Meredith says smiling after him. "Come on you stinky boy."

After breakfast Meredith and Derek showered together and got changed. She grabbed Cooper and went to dress him. She laid him on the change table and tried his clothes on.

"Cooper these are getting too small for you." She says as she stands him up. "The pants are too short. We are going to need a new pair of pants."

She goes through his draws for new pants. She finds another pair and puts them on him and finds that it fits perfectly.

"Good because I didn't want you're chubby legs shown off to everyone. They might start tickling you." She says blowing raspberries on his stomach. He starts giggling and smiling.

"Ok let's put your groovy converse sneakers on your feet and you are ready to go." She says as she picks him up to sit on the floor and put his shoes on his feet. "See perfect."

She lets him stand and admires him.

"You are a groovy baby Cooper and if people ask where you get your style from say from some amazing person who carried me for 9 months. You got that."

"Ya."

"Good. Now let's go see if you daddy could dress Kaylee as good as I could dress you."

They walk down to Kaylee's room and Meredith let's Cooper walk but he held onto Meredith's hands the whole time. They enter Kaylee's room and see that they aren't in the room.

They head downstairs and Kaylee is playing in her dress.

"Hey Kay where's dad?"

"He had to go and call the hospital."

"Ok. Can you watch your brother for just a little while?"

"Sure mummy."

Meredith sits Cooper on the floor with Kaylee and he starts playing with his sister. Meredith finds Derek sitting in the study on the phone.

"Yeah I will. Bye." Derek says hanging the phone up.

"Did you get called in?"

"They just needed to know what dosage to give one of my patients." He says. "You ready?"

"Yeah I am."

"Good. We still have time." He says as he pulls her to his lap.

"You are in a good mood today."

"I always am if I am with my wife."

"Cheesy but I love the cheesiness."

"You love everything about me."

"That is true." She says kissing him. She looks over at his desk and sees blueprints. "What are these?"

"Blueprints. I had them made up as soon as we found out we were having Kaylee."

"You've had these for over 5 years?"

"Well not these ones. When we were engaged and pregnant with Cooper I had another lot drawn up because we said that we were going to have 2 more kids so I just had a plan drawn up with what could be an idea."

"7 bedrooms. Why 7?"

"Well if we have 4 kids they can get a bedroom to themselves then we have 2 spare rooms."

"Nursery. That's a nice idea but what if we don't have any babies when we move out there."

"Well I think we should think about building after our next child."

"Ok so let's just say we welcome a baby 2 – 3 years. That means we have that time to save money." Meredith says.

"And we can design something else. That was just what I liked but we can both co-operate and choose something that we both like."

"Ok then. Can we think about this later though?"

"Of course." He says. "It was just something that I have been thinking about. We better be going anyway."

They both get up and get ready, packing the baby bag and getting to the car. They arrive at the university where the graduation is taking place. Meredith takes Cooper and Derek grabs Kaylee and the bag. They head inside into the auditorium and Derek takes a seat next to Carolyn and his sisters. Meredith hands Cooper over and goes and joins everyone else.

"Can you believe it? We are graduating." Izzie says.

"I know. It feels so surreal." Meredith says. "Just think 6 weeks and we will be doctors."

"Don't get me started." Cristina says.

Meredith couldn't concentrate on the speaker. She just sat chewing her lip and tapping her feet.

All the lectures and doctors who have be a part of their journey came and talked to everyone and took their time. Their class only had 25 people in there so it would be over as soon as possible.

They all received their doctorates and were now Doctors of medicine.

Cristina and Meredith both graduated at the top of their class with their marks averaging the same over the period of the course.

With the graduation soon ended everyone left for photos outside in the park area. When Cooper saw his mum coming to their rows of seats he stayed attached to her. He managed to get into every photo except for one and after the photos they headed for lunch.

"I still remember last year's graduation." Derek says.

"Me too. I was so pregnant. I had 6 weeks to go."

"You were beautiful."

"Thanks."

"But Mark having that huge after party."

"Oh yes I remember you brought me along and everyone thought that I was going to give birth there and then. They were a little too drunk to remember their OB training."

"You were quiet popular though. Everyone came up to you holding your stomach or rubbing it for good luck." Derek says.

"Oh drunk people don't they do some silly things."

Derek just laughs. "Oh yes they do."

That night the dinner plans were cancelled because Jasmine and Jackson had had a fight and she couldn't handle anyone. So the four of them went for dinner instead and came home with sleeping kids and a night full of congratulatory sex.

…

The next few days went by and Meredith had started to send out applications to the hospitals around Seattle and the outside towns. She had over a month left to get everything done and get ready for her life as a surgeon to begin. Kaylee was at preschool for the full day today and Cooper was asleep so Meredith finished the laundry and the cleaning and sat in the study looking over the blueprints for the house.

Derek and she had been talking about what they liked from styles to what rooms they should include.

She had made up rooms on paper and rearranged it all on paper to get the feel of what looked right.

She thought that for the downstairs the kitchen and the lounge room could be the two rooms with the best view in Seattle. She had the huge double garage connected to the house. A kid's room, dining room, study, laundry and small bathroom would fit nicely downstairs.

She then sorted out the upstairs with the 7 bedrooms, a rumpus room, nursery and the bathrooms.

She decided that she liked the style and she would show Derek later on when he arrived home.

Cooper crying came through the baby monitor so she went upstairs and got him.

"Do you want some lunch?" She asks him.

"Ba."

"Ok come on then."

She was feeding him in the highchair when the front door opened. She knew that it was too early for Derek so she didn't know who it was. The person came into the kitchen really quickly.

"Jas what are you doing here."

"I need your help?"

"What with?"

"Well you know how Jackson and I broke up?"

"Yeah." Meredith says.

"Well it is just so hard to try and get over him. He is just everywhere and he is just Jackson. I loved him we have been with each other for almost 5 years. It's hard to forget about that you know."

"Ok you sit down and take a breath. I am going to finish feeding Cooper and then we can go through this."

Meredith finished feeding Cooper and cleaned him down and went and put him in his walker.

"Okay tell me why you broke up?"

"We needed a break."

"Ok that's fair enough. How long was the break for?"

"Until we have had a break from each other. Got to do our own things."

"So this break could have been for a few weeks or a few days. It has been a few days since you two started this break."

"Yeah I suppose."

"How does Jackson feel about this? Has he come to see you yet? Tell you how he is feeling after everything."

"No he hasn't."

"Ok I think you should try and call him and talk to him because then you will both know where you stand."

"But I don't know what to say."

"Ok this is simple. You just tell him the truth. Remember when Derek and I sat down with the two of you and we said that you have to communicate and tell the truth. This is the time you need to do that."

"Ok then. I can do that." She says standing. "I will tell him that I can't imagine my life without him and that I love him."

"Yes exactly that."

"Thanks Mer."

"No worries."

Jasmine leaves and Meredith looks down at Cooper.

"Why is life so complicated?" She asks him. He just smiles at her. "Well it's not for you."

Derek came home late that night just as Cooper was going down for bed.

"Your phone is going crazy as well." Derek says to her as she enters the bedroom.

"Ok."

She checks her phone and reads the messages from Jasmine.

"Who are they from?"

"Jas."

"What is going on?"

"Her and Jackson are back together. They were honest with each other and said what they were feeling and now they are back together."

"Did you have anything to do with that?"

"She just came to talk to about her feels and I let her know what the best thing to do was and apparently it worked."

He changes into his pyjamas and gets into bed.

"Oh I sorted out new plans for the house."

"Oh you did."

"Yeah they are just here." She says showing him the plans. "What do you think?"

"This could work." He says looking at the plans of their could be house. "I actually do like it. Very big but we need the space and the room."

"This could be our house." She says smiling at him.

"Yeah it could be. Just think we could be there in 5 years' time."

"It's our future."

"We are getting our future."

**What'd you think? Let me know. **

**Next chapter I will have up ASAP. I am starting year 11 tomorrow so I will see how busy I am and all that stuff. **

**Next chapter is a day with Steph and the kids which ends with Steph in hospital.**

**Read and review please. It makes me update faster.**


	55. You Can't Fault Her For That

"Hey Steph."

"_Mer do you want to bring the kids out for lunch and catch up?"_

"Yeah sure."

"_Okay how about the café with the kid's room. Dump the kids in the play room."_

"Sounds like a plan." Meredith says laughing. "12 o'clock."

"_Great. See you then."_

"You too." She says hanging up the phone.

"Are we going to see Sam?"

"Yes we are. We are going out for lunch to that new café that opened with the kid's room."

"I have wanted to go there mummy."

"Well it's your chance today." She tells her. "We are meeting Steph at 12."

"What time is it now?"

"Here you try and tell me." Meredith says holding her watch in front of Kaylee.

"Is that the 10?"

"Yes 10…"

"30?"

"Yeah it is baby. How else can you say it?"

"Half past 10?"

"Very good baby. How long do we have?"

"Um an hour?"

"An hour and a half." Meredith says. "You don't learn time until you are older."

"I'm just getting a head start."

"Yes you are." Meredith says. "Go and play sweetie. Enjoy your childhood."

She runs off and Meredith finishes up with the baby shower plan for Steph.

Meredith, Kaylee and Cooper head to the café. They find Steph inside sitting with the kids waiting.

"Hey sorry we're late. Had to change his nappy."

"No that is fine. Kids do you want to go in and play?"

"Yes please Stephy."

"Ok I'll go book you in." Steph says.

"No Steph I will."

"Meredith you sit and stay. I need to go to the toilet anyway."

"Ok."

Meredith sits with Cooper and goes and grabs a highchair for him and starts feeding him lunch. Steph comes back and sits down.

"How are the babies going?"

"Yeah they are good. Doctor says they are doing great but she says that I should slow down."

"Which is true. You could go into preterm labour."

"Well I have two kids under the age of 4 who are active. I can't sit around and not play with them."

"You can drop the off at day care or their grandparents place."

"I want to spend time with them before the triplets are born because then all our time will be taken up with the triplets and we won't be spending a lot of time with Sam and Zo. I have to do this."

"Ok well at least slow down for the sake of the triplets."

"Fine I will."

"Thank you."

"God you are a good at winning discussions. Glad I'm never the person sleeping beside you in bed."

"Well Derek is used to it. We are pretty competitive."

"I don't need to know that."

"Well it's true. His sisters are very competitive and Derek happened to get that streak. I got it from my mother."

"You two are made for each other."

"Maybe we are maybe we are not. We just get each other."

"I see."

"Do you want to order?"

"Yes that would be good. I am eating for 4 you know."

"You shouldn't actually eat for that many. You will gain a lot of weight."

"Well my doctor said to eat for 2 because I am burning off a lot of energy carrying the triplets, doing the housework and chasing after Sam and Zoe."

"I ate for 2 throughout my whole pregnancy with Cooper."

"Boys are like that. I was the same with Sam. I tried to eat for just myself but I burnt a lot of calories and had a lot more cravings."

"You didn't put much weight on afterwards did you?"

"No only 20 kilos." Steph says. "You were stick thin after you delivered Cooper. I came into the hospital and it seemed as though you were a normal person your age. You barely had that post baby bump."

"I know but with Kaylee I did. I was so self-conscious. With Cooper though people would give me looks because they couldn't believe that I had just had a baby."

"You were really active though throughout the pregnancy weren't you?"

"Yeah I went for morning walks with Kaylee. Took the dog for a walk. Swimming. I was all for exercise. Kaylee thought it was good because she got to ride her bike to the park and I would be pushing her on the swings and things like that."

"You didn't crave as much though did you?"

"No I just always felt like walking or getting outside. Up to my final week I was still walking and it was the middle of winter."

"Well those photos of you are the beach in your bikini you definitely have a bikini body. I would never believe that 9 months ago you push out a baby boy who was almost 9lbs."

"I know that's what the girls said to me. They were shocked at my post baby body."

"Breast feeding, weight loss champion." Steph says.

"Oh it really is." Meredith says. "Though after I had Cooper I wasn't all that into exercise. Yeah I got my exercise pushing the double pram but I didn't feel like walking to the park."

"Yeah well he was born in winter. It is always too cold to take a newborn baby to the park in the pouring rain and the snow."

"Kaylee though I took her walking to the park, to Carolyn's house. To Cristina's. Even to the local shop 3 blocks over. I got into shape but I wasn't going to med school then."

"I loved taking Sam on walks especially when he was old enough to sit in his little bike that you push."

"Oh yes Kaylee and Sam the bike buddies. Cristina gave them that name."

"They were so cute though. They would just sit and blabber to each other while we blabbered to each other."

"I don't think I told you this but Kaylee said to the crew of the concert that she is going to marry Sam."

"Hey ever since I delivered Sam it was destined to happen."

"I know." Meredith says. "So lunch?"

"Yeah we got side tracked." Steph says. "I'll go ask the kids what they want and order. What do you want?"

"The chicken burger sounds good."

"And drink?"

"Water will do." She says. "I'm just going to go and get his pram from the car when you get back."

"Ok."

Meredith waits for Steph to come back and when she does she goes to get the pram from the car. She comes back inside seeing Steph holding Cooper and swaying him side to side. Meredith goes to say something but Steph stops her indicating that she is getting him to sleep. Meredith organises the pram and a blanket to cover it when he finally falls asleep.

"The 2 waters, the lemonade and the jug of juice?" The waitress asks.

"Yes." Steph says quietly. "Thank you."

Steph finally gets him to sleep and lays him down in the pram and Meredith covers it so he can have some privacy.

"I was going to put him to sleep."

"He was about to fall asleep waiting for you. I just helped him."

"Ok well if you lay him in the pram he usually goes to sleep but your way helped."

"Let's talk baby shower."

"Oh yes well you only wanted it low key compared to Nancy's. Don't get me started on Nancy's. Anyway just have an afternoon tea with coffee, tea, cakes, sandwiches and a few games and it will all be over in a few hours."

"Sounds good."

"Colours I thought neutral but because you know that it is 2 girls and a boy I chose the neutral colours for decorations and invitations. So I went yellow for the invites but for the decorations it was yellow and green galore."

"It sounds good."

"You just pick the foods you want and we can organise who does what?"

"Well for my cake can you do the ABC thing? I think people will get a kick out of it if they know what we mean."

"I wouldn't have thought of that. What icing and type of cake."

"Chocolate cake all the way with yellow icing and for the ABC's go Pink, Blue and Purple."

"Do you want anything else on there?"

"No just the ABC's."

"Well I like that idea but can I show you a picture of one I found online. I think it's kind of cute."

Steph nods her head and Meredith shows her a picture of the cake.

"Instead of the one set of baby legs you could go three and have the ABC's on each of the diapers and have those colours and people might understand it."

"Hey that is a good idea. I really like this cake. Make sure they make it chocolate."

"I will."

"Thank god because you can't go by chocolate cake."

"Here are your burgers. The rest should be out in a minute."

"I'll go and get the kids." Steph says.

"No you won't. I'll get them." Meredith says.

"You have to beat me." She says getting up from the booth quicker than Meredith.

"Stephanie Baxter you are a pain in the arse." Meredith calls after her.

Steph shows her a grin and gathers the kids and brings the back to the table.

"Here are the rest of your meals."

"Thank you."

"Eat up kids." Meredith says to them.

"Can I have a drink mummy?"

"Sure Kay."

Meredith pours drinks out for the kids and the all tuck in for their lunch.

"Mummy can we go on after we finish our lunch?" Sam asks.

"Sure Sam. You will just have to let your lunch settle though."

"Ok mummy."

"Besides Mer and I have to discuss the baby shower a little more."

"Ok mummy." Sam says.

"Is lunch good?" Meredith asks.

"It's a little hot." Kaylee says.

"Let it cool. Try not to guts yourself either."

"But mummy we want to go and play."

"You know you have to wait a little while to go play again so it doesn't matter how long you take."

"Ok." She says.

After lunch they let the kids play again and instead or organising the baby shower they talked about the trip away and the glares they received from parents at the water park.

"That's what happens when your friends don't have kids and you are a young mum. You are still experiencing the good in life and you are experimenting. Those parents probably have had their experimental days 10 years earlier and they know what it is like to be our age. Well they should at least."

"I get what you mean."

"Yeah so why can't they just cut us some slack."

"Well it was a kind of inappropriate place to talk about it." Steph says. "You were surrounded by children."

"We made sure we didn't talk about it when the kids were around anyway. I think some people shouldn't eavesdrop."

"Yeah that would be a good thing because then gossiping would stop."

"But gossiping is fun. Derek says that gossip is the only thing that spreads through the hospital faster than the flu."

"Do you think people are going to gossip about you when you start as an intern?"

"Maybe but that's life. I'll just stand up to them all."

"I know you would. I hear that you always stand up for yourself. That's one of the reasons you were shot back in high school."

"Who told you that story?"

"Izzie. "

"Izzie did protect me. She jumped in front of a bullet for me just so my baby would survive and she did. Look at her now she is 4 years old."

"You have had a crappy life but look at how great you have turned those things around."

"Yeah." Meredith says looking at the pram.

"So how about we get the kids and go back to my place for tea and some cake. I made a cake this morning and I wanted to share it with someone."

"Ok then." Meredith says.

They pay for lunch and grab the kids. Meredith follows Steph back to her place. They head inside and Meredith has an awake Cooper with her. The kids run around outside and Meredith sits down and starts feeding Cooper.

"Here you go."

"Thank you." Meredith says.

The two sat in the kitchen talking and Meredith finished feeding Cooper. She had him on her lap.

"Mummy Zo fell over and she hurt her knee." Sam says coming inside with Kaylee and Zoe.

"Come her Zo." Steph says holding her arms out to her and placing her on the chair. "Oh it will be okay. I will put a Band-Aid on it and it will be all better."

"Can I have a pink Band-Aid?"

"Of course Zo." Steph says going to the medicine cabinet.

Meredith watches as she reaches up back her body retracts the other way and her hands come around her stomach.

"Ouch." She says.

"Steph what's wrong?" Meredith asks getting up off the chair.

"I think the babies are coming."

"I have to take you to the hospital."

"Mummy what's going on?" Sam asks worried.

"Nothing baby. I just have to go to the hospital to make sure that the babies aren't ready to be born because they aren't."

"Steph sit down. I will call your OB." Meredith says. "What's her number?"

"It's in my phone."

Meredith finds the number and calls.

"Yes I am calling on behalf of Steph Baxter. She is starting to have contractions. Bring her in. Ok I will." Meredith says hanging up the phone.

"Steph we are going to the hospital." Meredith says. "Kids come on we have to go."

Meredith holds Cooper and grabs the keys to Steph's car. She grabs Steph's handbag and they go and get in the car. The seating arrangements were a mess but Meredith didn't have time to get the car seats from her car. She places Cooper in Zoe's seat and Zoe in Sam's and Kaylee and Sam jump in the other spare seats.

"Ok you call Dan and let him know what is going on." Meredith says.

"He is in an important meeting."

"If you text him 911 then to call you he will call you back urgently. The business partners will understand."

Steph waits for the call and Dan finally calls back.

"_What is it Steph."_

"Meet me at the hospital. I am having contractions. I think I have gone into early labour."

"_I will be there in a matter of seconds. Just hold on."_

Meredith gets her to the hospital and pulls into emergency and is met by the OB they bring a gurney over to the car and help her in.

"I will go and park the car and bring the kids straight up."

"Don't let them watch me in pain."

"I won't." Meredith says.

She goes and parks and gets the kids out of the car and races inside to the maternity ward.

"They have taken her up to delivery 3."

"Ok." Meredith says going to go and see her but she stops after remembering what Steph told her. "I'll stay down here until her husband comes."

Meredith gets the kids seated.

"Mer will my mum be ok?" Sam asks.

"Of course. It is just a precaution you take when you start having cramps especially if you are early like your mum is."

"So the babies won't be born today?"

"Hopefully not. They need to be inside her tummy for a few more months to be healthy babies."

"I still can't believe that she is going to have 3 babies. I am going to get 3 new siblings." Sam says.

"I know, isn't that exciting?"

"Yeah it really is." Sam says. I have gotten 4 new siblings in 2 years."

"That is always good isn't it?"

He just nods his head.

"Mummy do you have the pack of cards in your bag?"

Meredith searches through her handbag. "Yes I do. What are you going to play?"

"Go fish."

"Ok." Meredith says. "I am going to make a call kids. Just stay there."

Meredith leaves the kids and walks over towards the nurses' station where she has direct contact with the kids she dials Steph's parents to let them know what is going on considering they are going to have to most likely look after the kids.

"Hi it's Meredith, Steph's friend."

"_Yes Meredith I remember you. What's up dear?"_

"We think that Steph has gone into preterm labour. I had to bring her to the hospital. I am here now with Sam and Zoe and my two. I just thought I would let you know."

"_We will be right down dear."_

"Okay see you soon." Meredith says hanging up the phone. She goes and sits back down on the chairs and sees Dan run to the nurses' station.

"Dan." Meredith calls out.

"Oh where is she?"

"Delivery 3."

"Thank you." He says running off again.

"Is daddy ok?" Zoe asks.

"Yeah he is just a bit stressed, that is all." Meredith says sitting down at the table. "Your nan and pop are on their way over."

"Ok."

Meredith plays with Cooper and watches the kids.

It was an hour later, Eileen and Frank arrived 30 minutes earlier and sat with Mer in the waiting room. Dan came down to the waiting room.

"What's going on?"

"They have stopped her contractions and placed her on bed rest. She has to be on bed rest for at least another 3 weeks."

"Is she ok?"

"Yeah she is a little shaken up. We told her to slow down because of the risks and she just didn't listen."

"It's Steph." Eileen says.

"She wants to see you Meredith."

"Ok." She says. "Can you hold him please?"

"Of course dear." Eileen says taking Cooper from Meredith. Eileen reminded Meredith of another Carolyn. She was so sweet and caring.

Meredith went to Steph's room. She had the monitor connected to her stomach and an IV. Steph was on her left hand side with her back to the door. Meredith came over to her side and sat in front of her. She ran her hand over Steph's sweaty forehead.

"I should have slowed down."

"Steph it is fine. You were doing your job as a mum. You were getting a Band-Aid."

"Still my babies were almost born premature because of it."

"Steph you are what 30 weeks?"

"31."

"For triplets the high chances of surviving outside the womb is about 34-35 weeks. Some babies are born 12 weeks early and still survive. You carried them this far. You just need you rest now and you should carry them for a few extra weeks. They will reach their 35 mark."

"Thank you Mer."

"No worries."

"I was so scared."

"It's a scary thing."

"I guess you should listen to the doctors or things like this happen."

"Everyone does these things. When I was pregnant I told someone to jump in front of a bus and she comes to school the next day and tries to shoot me." Meredith says. "We are human. We make mistakes."

"I'm stuck here at the hospital. It is going to drive me mad."

"I'll make Derek drop by every day to check on you."

"That's going to make me go even madder."

"I should take offence to that."

"But you won't I know that drill." Steph says.

"Anyway you rest up. I will drop by in a few days."

"Ok Mer."

Meredith kisses her forehead and leaves the room.

"Mer what are you doing here?" Richard asks.

"Steph went into preterm labour. They had to stop the contractions."

"Is she ok?"

"Yeah just bed rest for 3 weeks."

"How are the kids?"

"Yeah they are with their grandparents."

"What about your kids?"

"They are with Steph's parents."

"Ok well I was headed home. Do you need a lift?"

"Yeah that would be nice. To Steph's house so I can get my car."

"Yeah ok we will sneak by."

Richard drops her off at the house and she gets her car and drives back to the hospital.

"Mer what are you doing here?" Derek asks.

"Steph went into preterm labour. I brought her here."

"Are you headed home?"

"Yeah I'm getting the kids and going home."

"I'll come up then with you."

Derek goes with her to the maternity waiting room. They say goodbye to everyone and go home.

"Yeah so she is on bed rest until 34 weeks."

"It's one of those simple things that they tell you to do but you don't listen."

"Yeah well she was being a mother. She went to get a Band-Aid for Zoe and the contractions started. You can't fault her for that."

"No you can't."

"I told her you would drop in everyday to see how she is."

"What did she saw to that?"

"She will go madder."

"That's offensive."

"Oh Derek." Meredith says patting his cheek "She has a point." Meredith says with a grin. "Take me to bed." She says to him after kissing his lips softly.

**Sorry about the delay. I have had a billion things pile up on me and didn't get the opportunity to update. Hopefully you enjoyed that chapter. **

**I also have been considering with the amount of reviews I've been getting to cut the story short at Cooper's first birthday. I wasn't planning to but if you would like it to go on and continue to my original plans then let me know so I know. This story has so much furtherer to go and more things to happen. **

**Let me know your thoughts so I can decide on what will happen with this story.**


	56. You're Producing Future Surgeons

Three weeks went by. Derek's studying brought everyone over to the house and to camp out on the lounge room helping study. Meredith became a judge on their games and selected who was right or wrong. Callie, Arizona, Mark and Derek found camping out on their living room floor a weekly event. Kaylee though that it was great having her aunts and uncle with her every night of the week.

They were also banned from major surgeries to focus on studying.

Meredith spent her nights getting the things ready for Steph and Nancy's baby shower.

Steph was being released from the hospital this morning and having a day at home before the next day her baby shower was going to be thrown. Meredith had cut the numbers down to keep her less stressed out.

Nancy's was today. Derek was at work and Kaylee was at preschool. She had to pick up the cake and the balloons and other food to go over to Carolyn's to decorate the place.

She found the cake store and grabbed Cooper taking him inside out of the rain.

"Hi I had a pick up for Chamber's." Meredith says. "It was a baby shower cake."

"Yes we have it. I will go and get it."

Meredith sat Cooper on the ground and he admired all the cakes in the clear glass window.

"Here we go. Vanilla flavoured cake with blue fondant icing." The lady says.

"Yes that it is."

"That comes to 45 dollars today."

"I am also supposed to pick up another cake tomorrow for another baby shower. This one is for Grey."

"The chocolate cake, fondant icing crib with the three fondant babies, ABC?"

"Yes. Could I pay for that now?"

"Yes, that one comes to 55. So that is 100 dollars."

Meredith pays for the cakes; she picks Cooper up and goes to grab the box. Cooper keeps him eyes on the cakes.

"Do you want a cake little boy?" The lady asks.

Cooper looks at her and then back down at the cakes again.

"Here pick a cake out for him; you can have it for free."

"Oh thank you." Meredith says as she looks at the cakes. "We'll get the banana cake."

"Here you go. Have a nice day."

"Coopie what do you say?"

"Ma."

"He is 11 months old so he is still learning the words thing but he knows how to say Ta." Meredith says. "Say ta."

"Ta."

"Good boy." Meredith says. "I will be in tomorrow."

"Ok. Have a nice day."

Meredith carried Cooper out to the car along with the cake. She straps him in and they go to the grocery store to buy nibbles. This one was like an afternoon tea as well. Nancy just agreed on nibbles and there were going to be finger food as well.

They made their rounds of the supermarket and paid for the items and went and picked Kaylee up from preschool and dropped the food off at Carolyn's. Most of it was for tomorrow because Carolyn and Kathleen bought food as well.

"Kaylee can you help Cooper inside. Make sure he doesn't sit down."

"Ok. Come on Coopie." Kaylee says grabbing his hand and helping him up the stairs to the front door.

Carolyn lets them inside and comes down and gets the bags from Meredith. Meredith comes inside with the cake.

"I will be back soon. I will go and drop this food off home and grab the kids clothes and pick up the balloons and come back to help you set up." Meredith says.

"Ok. See you soon."

Meredith made her rounds around town again. She dropped in at home and unpacked the groceries and grabbed the kid's clothes and her clothes to change into. She was just about to leave the house when the phone rang.

"Hello."

"_I was just letting you know that I just got home. I am so glad to be home because hospitals drive me crazy." Steph says._

"I know what you mean."

"_What are you up too?"_

"Getting ready for Nancy's baby shower."

"_What time is that starting?"_

"3."

"_Well I better let you get going." Steph says. "Come by tonight if you get a chance."_

"I will see. Derek is driving me batty with the studying but if I get the kids down I will pop over."

"_Ok see you later. Have fun."_

"Oh yes I will." Meredith says hanging up.

She goes to the decoration shop and picks up the decorations and the balloons. She gets back to Carolyn's seeing Nancy and Kathleen bickering away at each other.

"I'm a little late. Steph called me."

"How's she doing?" Nancy asks.

"She is now home and she is glad."

"She is quite lucky she didn't end up having the babies towards the end of her bed rest."

"Yeah I know but the doctors are hoping another week or so. They want her at the 36 week mark."

"Well I am due in the next week."

"I'm thinking that the two of you will be very close." Carolyn says. "Now we need to heat up this food."

"Where are Kaylee and Cooper?"

"They are with their cousins in the playroom."

"You have to watch Cooper now. He has learnt how to turn door handles. We have to make sure we put the baby gate up because we just opens the doors and takes off."

"Is he walking properly?" Kathleen asks.

"He is still doing both. His does his walking when he is being cheeky and runs off or when he wants something but if he is following me around the house he crawls."

"Well give him time. He has three weeks until he is 1."

"That feels so surreal." Kathleen says.

"I know. I can't believe it has been almost a year."

"It's been a crazy year but so many things have happened. Let's just say it's been a crazy 2 years."

"That is true." Nancy says.

"Why do our kids grow up so fast?" Kathleen says.

"That's what I said when all of you started walking and going to school and dating. It was crazy."

"But look now you are now up to your 9th grandchild is ready to be born."

"I know and my youngest still hasn't left school."

"She will in 2 years." Meredith says.

"I wish your father was here to see his grandkids."

"If Michael didn't die then I don't think we would have Kaylee."

"What do you mean dear?"

"Well Derek and I conceived her the night he died. After everything happened Derek came by and we conceived Kaylee."

"And if you didn't conceive Cooper then you would have no grandkids from Meredith and Derek." Nancy says. "I know this sounds weird but I'm glad that fate happened."

"Me too." Carolyn says. "No let's get this shower set up."

They decorate the house and kept the kids room undecorated because of the mess that has been produced in there.

"God your kids are destructive." Carolyn says to the girls.

"They are not." The three of them say at the same time without realising it.

"That did not just happen did it?" Kathleen asks.

"Yeah it did." Nancy says giggling.

"Isn't that supposed to be a twin thing?" Meredith says.

"Well like I said the playroom is trashed."

"Well I only have Claire and Lacey here." Kathleen says defending herself. "Braden is at school."

"Yeah my 11 month old can't be that destructive." Meredith says. "Besides if you put Kaylee in charge she will put everyone into line. She'll tell them what to do."

"Why does Kaylee get to be in charge?" Nancy asks.

"She is the oldest."

"Braden is."

"I mean here at the moment. Braden isn't here. The kids look up to Kaylee."

"Oh you dream in your own world don't you?" Nancy says.

"It's true don't deny it Nanc."

"Well I am going to go and pee because the baby thinks that squeezing my bladder is a fun thing." Nancy says leaving the room.

Kaylee enters the room with her other cousins and Cooper.

"We are hungry." Kaylee says.

"Are you just hungry or is everyone?" Meredith asks.

"We all are."

"Ok kids I will get you something to eat. Go sit up at the table." Carolyn says. "Do you all want a drink?"

"Yes please nanna."

"I'll get it." Meredith says grabbing cups out for the kids. She finds Cooper hovering around her feet and picks him up. "Carolyn was there a bag on top of the cake. The lady at the store gave Coopie a free cake today."

"Yes. It is still on there."

"Thanks. I will feed him that."

She pours drinks for the kids and sits Cooper in the highchair and lets him eat the banana cake.

"Do you like that Coop?" Kathleen asks.

"Ya." He says.

"He eats anything you put in front of him."

"His a good eater. An excellent eater."

"When is Braden getting here mummy." Claire asks.

"Soon baby." Kathleen says. "I better head over to pick him up. This weather causes havoc at the school." She says picking up her bag and keys. "Can you watch the kids Ma?"

"Yes I can. Go."

She leaves the house and Carolyn serves the kids with cut up vegetables and fruit. "Eat up."

"Ma." Cooper says.

"Yes Coopie." She asks him and he just smiles. "You are cheeky Cooper."

"Ok we have over an hour until the shower starts. The food is almost finished. We just have to decorate and we are all good to get dressed." Carolyn says.

"I'll start the decorations if you want." Meredith says.

"Yeah and I'll help her." Nancy says entering the room.

"You are not climbing up any ladders." Carolyn says.

"I wasn't going to. I was just going to stand there and look pretty."

"Something you have done all your life."

Nancy and Meredith decorate the living room and the dining room. Rearranging furniture for the games and the presents.

"Do you think the presents will fit on this table?" Meredith asks.

"I'm not expecting a lot. So I hope they do." Nancy says. "Will you be able to help me change?"

"Sure. I need to change as well."

With Meredith helping Nancy dress she had to admire Nancy's bare belly.

"It was me this time last year." Meredith says leaving a hand on her stomach. "I just wasn't as big."

"Yeah you were. Around this time your whole belly just popped and it looked like you were smuggling a huge watermelon."

"That makes me feel so special."

"Your belly was starting to drop but the last week it dropped more and I knew that it would be soon."

"Well your belly is dropping. What is the due date?"

"The 19th."

"So a week and a bit."

"Yes."

"I miss being pregnant."

"Well try again. I'm not stopping you."

"No I can't too much work being an intern."

"Well you will be pregnant in no time. You will have this little one and Steph's triplets to keep you company."

Meredith just smiles at her.

The knock at door brings their attention to the door. It opens and Kathleen pops her head in the door with Cooper.

"He is ready for his nap."

"Oh ok." Meredith says taking him from Kathleen. "Kath could you do me a favour and change Kaylee?"

"Yeah of course."

"Thanks." Meredith says sitting in the chair in the corner of the room and starts feeding Cooper. "Are you going to breastfeed this one?"

"I don't know. I'm going back to work 6 weeks after he is born. I might for those 6 weeks."

"You should just try to breastfeed anyway. You just have to express that extra milk for when you are at work."

"Well I will see how good he is on the boob."

Meredith just lets out a laugh. "Yeah I know what you mean. Cooper though he was really hesitant on the bottle for the first month. He hated it. He likes the bottle now but that's only because he realises that it is breast milk but just in a bottle."

"Well they are smart creature's babies, amazing more like it." She says. "I haven't told anyone but I'm going to be an OB. I've been doing the rotation for a month or so and I fell in love with it."

"Well good for you."

"Hey if you're accepted into Seattle Presbyterian I could teach you the tricks of the trade."

"Well that would be nice."

"I'll look out for my sister in law."

"I know you will."

"Anyway I will leave you to it. See you downstairs."

Meredith nods her head as she leaves the room and she looks down at Cooper.

"If you become a doctor and I'm at Seattle Grace I'll show you the tricks of the trade. I promise." She says to him. "You're going to be a great doctor Cooper. You'll be a rock star surgeon just like your daddy."

She finally gets Cooper to sleep and lays him down in the make shift nursery Carolyn set up. She pulls the blanket over his body and leaves the room heading downstairs to see guests arriving.

"Mummy." Kaylee says running to Meredith. "Aunt Kathleen dressed me."

"You look pretty sweetie."

Work colleagues, friends and family like cousins and Nancy's sisters and mother in law.

There were kids galore running around the house and Kathleen kept telling them to slow down. Kaylee stayed with her mum as they talked to the guests. Meredith met the doctors Nancy worked with and the OB attending who said that she hadn't seen someone as eager and natural in this field in a very long time.

"Hear that Kaylee our family is full of naturals."

"Are you going to become a doctor?" she asked Kaylee.

"Yeah just like my mummy."

"What type of doctor are you going to become?"

"Well I don't know yet."

"Well you have years to decide what you what. What does your mummy think about doing?"

"Well I haven't even started yet. I'm waiting for my applications to come back."

"What are you inspired by?"

"I don't actually know. I think I will just have to wait and see what inspires me."

"What about your husband. I hear that he is one the best interns in his class."

"Neurosurgery. He likes the brains."

"Well I hear great things so he will be an excellent one." She says. "I will see you around." She soon leaves the two of them.

"Mummy are you going to become a brain surgeon like daddy?"

"I don't know. I haven't been inspired yet."

"Ok." She says. "Can we get some food?"

"You had food earlier."

"But I'm a growing girl mummy and I have an appetite like you." She says. Meredith just laughs. "Well that's what you say."

"I know. Come on let's see what there is."

…

The next day was a Saturday. Today was Steph's baby shower. She woke without Derek beside her.

She got out of bed and wrapped a robe around her body and found Derek, Mark, Callie and Arizona asleep in the lounge room. She left the lounge room to let them rest and showered to get ready for the day. She finished up in the shower and came out to the bedroom finding Derek lying down on the bed.

"Morning you. How'd study group go?"

"Yeah good. They are still asleep downstairs."

"Just think over a week and your sitting your exams."

"I know." He says pulling her down beside him. "How was Nancy's baby shower?"

"Yeah it was good. There were kids everywhere."

"I could imagine."

"It was good though. I have another one today."

"Yes Steph's." He says. "What did we buy her?"

"You mean me?"

"What did you buy her?"

"I bought her baby books for each of the triplets. Some baby clothes, matching Steph's colour scheme. Then I also got the first year photo frames and I got them to do the 2 girl colours and the boy colour. Then some things for Steph."

"You have spoilt them."

"Derek these are our godchildren. We are allowed to."

"I know. I can't believe that she will have those 3 babies in just a few short weeks."

"I know. Hopefully before we go away."

"That's only soon as well. We are quite busy this month."

"We surely are." Meredith says.

Crying over the baby monitor lets them know that Cooper is up.

"You get him. He hasn't seen his father for very long." Meredith says to him.

Derek gets up from the bed and goes to the nursery. Cooper's smile appears on his face as he sees Derek.

"Hey baby boy." He says. "Oh I have missed you. Let's go and see everyone."

Derek carries him downstairs where Meredith is putting on a jug of coffee for everyone.

"Look who's up guys."

"Cooper baby. Look at you. You are getting big." Mark says.

"You are. It won't be long before you are studying for your exams." Callie says to him.

"And it won't be long until you bring your first girlfriend home." Arizona adds in.

Meredith pours out coffee for them all.

"Thank you Meredith."

"No worries guys. Just think if I wasn't pregnant with Kaylee and went to med school with all you guys it could have been 9 of us camping out in my lounge room."

Cooper is passed from person to person.

"Meredith I must say I am really loving his pyjamas."

"Oh yes them. I've had them since I found out I was pregnant with him."

"Did you know that you were having a boy?"

"It felt like I was. I just thought they were cute and got them that size so he could wear them at his age."

"Well he is certainly going to be Dr Rock Star." Callie says. "You really are."

Derek wraps his arms around Meredith's waist.

"See I knew that when I was 12 weeks pregnant our future baby was going to be a rock star surgeon." Meredith says to Derek. "Not a soccer player."

"Hey I didn't say that about Cooper. I said that about Kaylee."

"Oh you did too. Still Kaylee says she is going to become a doctor."

"You're producing surgeon children Shepherd."

"They have the genes it's only natural."

…

Meredith finally arrived at Steph's with the kids. Everything was decorated and the food was prepared. Her mother and sister had been over earlier to help her and give Meredith a break.

"Sorry I didn't come over last night. I lost track of time and when I finally checked the time it was 9 o'clock and I got the kids home and bathed and it was 10 and Derek was studying so I didn't get a chance to leave."

"Mer it's fine. I had my sister come over and we baked."

"Well here is my present."

"I'm going to open it now because I'm allowed to." She says leading her into the lounge room. "To Steph and Dan. Have a fun time preparing for the birth of our godchild. We are so excited to meet them and we will be there every step they take in growing up. Love Meredith, Derek, Kaylee and Cooper."

She takes the gifts out one by one.

"Yeah I had to get the baby books for each of them. The matching colour scheme to yours because you kept throwing Blue, Pink and Orange in my face." Meredith says laughing. "The photo frames for each of them to have and those bits and pieces are for you to relax. So bath salts and oils."

"Thank you Mer."

"No worries. I'm going to be here every step of the way. These are my god children and I will never let you done. I'll try my best to be here for you to help out in feeding, changing and putting to sleep. I'll try my best to spoil them rotten. Derek will try his best in coming over and helping. We will watch them when we have a spare weekend. We will be there for their naming ceremonies and their first Christmas's. I will be there for when the girls get sick of their parents and need another perspective to get them to come around. I will hold the boys' hand when he is learning to walk or crossing a road. I'm going to be there for the three of them. I will also be there for Sam and Zoe when they feel as they are not getting enough attention. I have been with you since the moment Mitch died and the moment Sam took his first breath. You have become a sister and a mother to me and I will never leave you because you have helped me through those rough patches and you have held my hand when I was so overwhelmed. You were there for me now it's time to be there for you again."

Steph has tears in her eyes. "I wasn't planning on crying at all today but you are just a beautiful person who has brought another light into my life. You didn't even know me and helped me deliver my son. You are just so caring and generous. You are an amazing mum and I admire the way you stayed sane when everything around you was falling down. You put others first and I am so glad we chose you as the babies god parents. Derek also. You too have been there for me and never turned your back. You are going to show the triplets a new way to look at life along with the way we look at life. You will be the ones who they run to for wisdom and kind words." Steph says grabbing Meredith's hand. "I know you are going to become a very busy lady but I know that you will try and visit them. I'm glad I chose the right god parents because if Dan and I do pass we would want you and Derek to raise them because you have a vibe about you both that is optimistic and loving and you will raise them the right way." She says.

Meredith has tears running down her face as well and giggles. Steph and her share an embrace.

"I will never turn my back on you." Meredith says. "You can be a controlling and hard woman to reason with but at the end of the day you are right."

"Not as much as you. You always seem to have the answer." Steph says smiling at her. "Stupid hormones."

Meredith just laughs again and the kids appear in the lounge room.

"Mummy are you ok?" Kaylee asks.

"Yeah I am. I am perfect." She says looking at Steph and smiling again.

The kids climb up onto the lounge with them and they start telling stories from the first day they met.

"So the minute Sam was born you said that he would be my husband." Kaylee says.

"Yes we did." Meredith says kissing her cheek.

"Steph you are like another mother to me. I love you."

"Kaylee you are like another daughter to me."

"Mum how many more daughters do you want? You already gonna have 3."

"Well one more won't hurt."

Sam rolls his eyes and sighs. "I'm never going to get my freedom." He says.

Both Meredith and Steph laugh at his expression. They don't even bother moving when the doorbell rings.

"We could ditch the shower and go and bowling." Meredith says to her.

"Oh we haven't been bowling together, forever. Just before your 21st birthday."

"Has it been that long?"

"Yeah it has."

"God the minutes they kids are born we are going bowling."

"Steph come greet your visitors." Her sisters says.

"Yeah ok." Steph says. "Kids you can go off and play."

Kaylee, Sam and Zoe leave the lounge room and Meredith helps Steph get up off the lounge. Steph places Meredith's hands on her stomach.

"They are kicking me." Steph says. "Here is Alyssa." She says guiding the hand towards the bottom of her belly. "This is Bowen." She says placing her hand on the right hand side. "And this is Carleigh." Placing her hand on the left hand side. "These are your godchildren."

"My godchildren." Meredith says smiling at her.

**Ok so I haven't been as busy as I thought. Anyway let me know what your thoughts were because it lets me know what the readers are enjoying and such.**

**Anyway I also have decided to continue the story on. I may need to cut updates back to maybe once a week. Depending on how busy I am at school, work, sport, and associating my social life in it all (especially time with my boyfriend). I am one busy girl. But I will do the best I can. I will also do the best in finishing the other stories I have written because I really would like to share them with you.**

**Anyway next chapter is births, acceptance letters and intern exams.**

**Please read and review and the updates will be up quicker and sooner.**


	57. Everyone Is Growing Up

The next week went by quickly for Derek but slowly for Meredith. Derek seemed to only be studying instead of practicing medicine. Meredith cleaned the house and baked.

Derek left that morning after Meredith gave him sex for good luck. It was needed considering they had gone to bed at different times of the night. She kissed him long and hard before he got out of the elevator to drop Kaylee off at the crèche. She was praying that he did fine and she knew he would.

Nancy was also due in 3 days and Steph was waiting for when she went into labour not knowing when she would finally have to deliver 2 babies.

The weather was too miserable to go for a walk so she stayed at home with Cooper and watched him finally give up his crawling for his walking. She could have packed for the honeymoon which they left for in a couple of days but watching her baby was more important than packing.

He learnt to climb the stairs after his little tumble that he had that freak Meredith out but he was fine. All he did was climbed two steps, lost his balance and fell but he proved to his mum that he was a trooper and smiled her fear away.

She had started calling him Cooper Trooper.

After that fall he practiced his steps and went up two steps and came back down. The next time he added two more steps and came back down. He had conquered the stairs in 3 days.

"So Cooper what do you want to do today?" Meredith asks him. "Well I know that you will be looking for a snack at 11. Have lunch at 12.30, sleep at 2 and wake at 4 needing your nappy changed and then you will have a snack again and then play for a while then eat, bathe then go to bed after a feed."

He looks at her with look knowing what she is talking about.

"Ya mumma."

"I knew it was true you cheeky boy." Meredith says picking him up and spinning him around, placing him high in the air and bringing him back down for raspberries on his stomach. His smile and laugh carried through the whole game. "I wish you would stop growing because you are growing up too quickly."

Cooper walked away from her arms to play with a toy.

"Doesn't interest you does it. Talk about growing up." Meredith says.

Just under 11 months ago he came into the world after 18 hours of labour and he didn't have a full head of black hair like Kaylee did. His dark hair finally came through by the time he was 6 months old. He had the green eyes but they soon changed to those beautiful blue eyes that Derek and Kaylee have. He was growing every day and his first 3 teeth had come through. He started crawling commando crawling at a shy 4 months of age and started his crawling just shy of being 6 months. He started his walking at 9 months but thought that being carried was better because you were high up in the world. His worlds were coming through as well and he could recognise Mumma, dada, Kay, dog, cat, Ta meaning his thank you and ya as in yes.

She watched him watch the toy light up and make music. He watch were all the noises and movement came from and reacted the way he should.

Meredith's mobile rang and she answered it seeing Cristina's name.

"Hi Cris what's up?"

"_Check your mailbox. I got my letter."_

"Oh my god. Did you get accepted?"

"_I don't know. I want to wait until you get your results."_

"Ok I'll go check it now." She says putting shoes on her feet and going outside to the letterbox. "Ok I have a letter."

"_Open it."_

"Hang on like 3 seconds. I have to get back inside."

"_Oh hurry up."_

Meredith runs inside into the lounge room. "Ok ready, set, go." Meredith rips open the envelop and reads the letter over. A smile forming on her face. "Seattle Grace baby."

"_Seattle Grace all the way baby." Cristina says._

"This is so good. We are going to Seattle Grace together. I can't believe it. 21 days and we are doctors."

"_I know. Oh my god. This is the best thing ever. Is it one of the best things that have ever happened to you Mer?"_

"Well after the birth of my kids."

"_You've gone soft."_

"Have you heard from Izzie?"

"_No what about Alex and George?"_

"No I haven't."

"_Well I will call. We need to go out for drinks and celebrate."_

"Yeah sure. Just message me where and I will organise somewhere for the kids to go."

"_Is Derek taking his exams today?"_

"Yeah big exam to see if he becomes a resident."

"_What time do they start?"_

"12 I think."

"_Did Richard say anything to you about this?"_

"No. He was really good and didn't say anything. Well he was really good and didn't even speak to me."

"_Well I am going to go. I'll call around and ask."_

"Just before you go. Will you be on my side when people find out I am married with 2 kids?"

"_Meredith I have had your back since kindergarten. I will kick them to the ground if they talk trash about you and your kids."_

"Thank you."

"_No worries. Now I will talk to you later."_

"Bye Cris." Meredith says hanging up the phone. "Guess what Coopie. Mummy is officially a doctor at Seattle Grace hospital with daddy."

He comes over to her and holds his arms out to be picked up, she picks him up and he hugs her. Meredith's phone rings again and this time round it is Tom.

"Hi Tom."

"_Just letting you know that Nancy was admitted at 3 this morning. She is about to deliver your nephew."_

"That's great Tom. Cooper and I will pop down to the hospital."

"_You don't have to."_

"Well we have nothing else to do. So we will."

"_Ok well I will see when the miracle of life happens."_

Meredith just laughs. "Okay Tom. Good luck." She hangs up again and her phone starts ringing and this time round it is Dan.

"Dan, hi."

"_Yeah they have brought Steph in. Well I did about 3 this morning. We ran into Nancy as well, but the doctors are preparing to take Steph in for her caesarean. I'm about to be a dad to 3 babies."_

"Dan just breathe please. Wish Steph luck from me. I am headed to the hospital. Also tell Steph that I was accepted in Seattle Grace. Anyway breathe and go become a dad to my godchildren."

"_Ok I will see you as soon as possible."_

"Bye Dan." She says hanging up. "You're about to get a new cousin and 3 other playmates. She says to him. "Come on we're going to the hospital to see everyone."

She grabs her bag and throws snacks and diapers in there for Cooper. She puts shoes on his feet and they go out to the car. She sees that it is almost 12. So before she leaves she sends Derek a good luck message and doesn't mention her acceptance into Seattle Grace or the fact that Nancy and Steph are in labour.

She drives to the hospital and carries Cooper inside before she sets him on the ground and lets him lead her around the hospital. Doctors and nurses knew who she was and who Cooper was. They just smiled and said hello to them both. He took her to the elevator and pressed the up button and they climbed in the elevator and she picked him up and he pressed a number. He wiggled out of her arms as the doors opened and they walked through the floor. This was the floor to get to the conference rooms, the skills labs and Richard's office. Cooper picked up his pace and started walking.

"Cooper slow down." She says to him.

He just takes off and runs to one of the rooms and opens the door.

"Dada." He says.

"Cooper stop." She says.

Meredith picks him up and sees that there were interns sitting their exams in this room. All eyes go to her and she looks around. She meets Derek's eyes and smiled and he smiled back at her.

"Sorry." She says leaving the room. "Cooper that was a silly move. Your daddy was in there though. Taking his exam. You'll have a story to tell when you are older, disrupted my dad's exam. You are a cheeky boy. You're going to have to go on one of those leashes."

"Meredith what are you doing here?" Richard asks.

"Well Steph and Nancy are both in labour and we came to wait but we took a walk and Cooper walked in on the intern test."

"Did he really?"

"Yeah he did." Meredith says laughing. "He must of knew Derek was in there because he walked in there saying Dada."

"Oh Cooper you are a cheeky boy aren't you." Richard says taking him from Meredith.

"Oh my acceptance letter came in the mail today. I am starting here in less than a month."

"Well congratulations."

"You knew didn't you?"

"Yeah I did. Do you know how hard it was to keep that a secret from you? Hardest thing in my life."

"Whatever."

"Well you were the top of my list." He says. They see Patricia walk towards them.

"Hi Meredith. So nice to see you. This can't be Cooper can it?"

"Yeah it is."

"Well he has grown to be a big boy."

"A cheeky boy more at it. Just went and disrupted his dad's intern test."

"Well that is fine. They always need something to make them laugh after the exam."

"Yeah I guess they do."

"Anyway Chief we have a 911 patient coming through. You might want to oversee it."

"Ok." He says handing Cooper over. "Message me when the babies are born." He says.

"I will."

He kisses Cooper's head and Meredith's as well and leaves with Patricia.

"Come on let's go and wait in the waiting room." She says carrying him this time.

They sit in the waiting room and she gives Cooper a fruit stick to eat while they wait.

She also received a message from George, Izzie and Alex telling her congratulations and that they were all accepted in the intern program. She was also told that they were going for drinks tonight at Joe's at 8.

She played with Cooper and held him while she waited.

It was just after 1 when Tom came to the waiting room and Meredith got up with Cooper. Meredith was meeting her nephew for the first time.

"Zachery Jordan Chambers would like to say hello to his aunty and cousin." Tom says showing off the new bundle of joy who was wrapped in a blanket and had a knitted hat covering his head.

"He is gorgeous."

"Would you like to be the first Aunty to hold him?"

"Of course I would." She says.

Tom places baby Zachery in her arms and takes Cooper from Meredith.

Meredith holds her new nephew in her arms and she just can't take her eyes off of him.

"Hi Zach. I'm your aunt Meredith. I'm going to be your favourite Aunt because I was the first one to hold you and because I am the fun one. You are truly beautiful." She says to the sleeping baby. She runs her finger over his cheek and smiles again. "Here I better give him back before I run off with him."

They swap over again and Tom goes to return back to Nancy's room but Dan comes out with a huge smile covering his face.

"We have 30 fingers, 30 toes, 3 hearts, 3 noses."

"How are they?"

"Healthy as can be."

"How's Steph?"

"Over the moon. She can't hide the smile from her face."

"That's wonderful."

"Do you want to come and meet them? Steph really wants to see you?"

"Oh sure."

"Congrats Dan." Tom says.

"You too Tom."

"I'll drop by and see Nancy soon." Meredith tells Tom.

"Yeah that's fine. She is going to call Carolyn in soon. So drop by after you see the babies. Take a picture for us though."

"Ok Tom."

Tom goes back to Nancy and Meredith follows Dan to Steph's room. Meredith walks in the room and sees Steph holding the three babies.

"Look at you." Meredith says. Dan took Cooper from Meredith and she went over to Steph, kissing her cheek and looking at each of the babies. "They are beautiful."

"Thank you."

"Now where they born the way you thought they would be, Alyssa, Bowen then Carleigh?"

"Yes they were." Steph says. "I would like to introduce you to Alyssa Jade." She says indicating for Meredith to pick the first baby up.

Meredith takes Alyssa into her arms. "My first goddaughter." She says smiling. "I can't get over how beautiful she is."

"Well she looks a lot like Zoe did in her baby photos. She has her daddy's looks."

"Well she is beautiful." Meredith says laying her down in Alyssa's bassinet.

"This is Bowen Nathan."

"Little Bowen. His scrunched up nose reminds me of Sam's."

"That's what I said to Dan." Steph says. "He is going to look very alike to Sam."

"Well Sam has a brother." Meredith says nursing him for a few more moments before she places him in his bassinet.

"And this is Carleigh Maree."

"Oh she looks like you Steph."

"Yes all me. She is going to be my little girl. My baby."

"What aren't you going to have anymore kids?" Meredith asks.

"Are you kidding? I'm happy with 5 kids."

"Oh well I always wished we would be pregnant together. Share the pain and the experience."

"Well you should have fallen pregnant a year later and we could have."

"Oh don't play that card." Meredith says. "I don't think you are every getting Carleigh back. She might be my favourite."

"Don't speak too loud the others might hear." Steph says. "She's my favourite but we won't tell the triplets that."

"Meredith, Cooper has just gone to sleep." Dan tells her.

"Oh, um just lie him down on the recliner. I won't stay too much longer."

"Oh but why not. I would like you to stay for a while."

"Well I still need to visit Nancy. I've seen Zach but not Nancy."

"She had hers."

"Yes Zachery Jordan." She says. "Tom came out to the waiting room and boasted his son to me but I know it was to the rest of the people waiting."

"Well Dan wanted to take all three babies out but I said maybe not."

"Wise decision." Meredith says sitting on the bed. "Guess what Cooper did earlier?"

"Hmm I don't know." Steph says taking Carleigh into her arms.

"We went for a walk around the hospital and he ran into the intern test yelling Dada."

"Was Derek in there?"

"Yeah he was. Derek had to hide his laugh."

"How'd you react?"

"Walked out as soon as I could with a red face. I'll be working with most of these people next year and they will remember me as the woman who couldn't control her own baby and let him run loose in the hospital."

"Oh the names you are going to receive."

"Shut up." Meredith says. "Did Dan also tell you?"

"No I forgot to." He says picking Alyssa up and handing her to Meredith. Steph shoots him a glare. "What we were becoming parents to triplets. It slipped my mind."

"What did my husband forget to tell you?"

"I was accepted into the Seattle Grace program."

"Good on you girl. Acceptance into intern programs and babies, what a great day. June the 16th will forever be a great day."

"So are the babies all healthy, no incubators or NICU's?"

"No, the doctor was happy with how healthy they came out; it must have been the bed rest and the steroids they gave me for their lungs to mature. But these are one of the healthiest sets of triplets she has seen."

"Well they must go on her hall of fame."

"Hey I will make her."

"While I remember I will get a picture of the babies to show Nancy because she is dying to see them."

"Yeah sure." Steph says. "Lay them at the end of the bed and go ABC."

Meredith lay's Alyssa down and holds her while Dan places Bowen and then Carleigh. Alyssa and Carleigh lean into their brother and their hands creep up to rest on Bowen's stomach.

Meredith snaps a picture of the three of them and has to admire at how precious they all are. They are smaller than most newborns but they are still so precious.

"How old are they each from each other?"

"Bowen is 4 minutes from Alyssa and Carleigh is about 6 minutes from Bowen and ten from Alyssa."

"Well that isn't too far apart." Meredith says handing her a baby to hold. "Are you sore?"

"A little bit."

"Well please don't pop your stitches and don't overdo it." Meredith says handing her another baby and then the other. "You heal like the doctor tells you. So don't drive and don't lift heavy things."

"Dan is off work for 7 weeks. He is driving Sam and Zoe to preschool and day care and being the wife for that time. My mother is coming by as well to help out with cooking and yeah so I will be good and rest."

"If you don't I will have words with you."

"Thanks Mer."

"I'm just going to pop into Nancy's room to see if Carolyn is there and see Nancy and be a good sister in law. I will be back for my little man and I will bring Derek by."

"Ok."

Meredith leaves Steph's room and goes to Nancy's room. She knocks on the door and Nancy looks up.

"Hey Mer."

"Hi, how are you?"

"Yes I am good. How's Steph?"

"Steph is good as well. The babies are all healthy and the doctor is happy at how healthy they are."

"Names."

"Alyssa Jade, Bowen Nathan and Carleigh Maree. Carleigh is my favourite."

"Did you have a picture of them?"

"Yeah." She says showing her the picture. "Bowen is in the middle. Alyssa is on the left and Carleigh is on the right."

"They are beautiful."

"So is your little man. Where is he?"

"The nurse took him for a little while she wanted to give me a rest before the family comes through."

"Oh should I not be here?"

"It's fine."

"I got accepted her for my internship."

"Really. That is great."

"Yeah I am really happy." Meredith says. "Oh and I haven't told Derek about it or the babies."

"Why not?"

"Intern test today."

"I forgot about that."

"Yeah well Cooper ran into the room yelling. Disrupted the whole thing."

"Where is he?"

"He is asleep in Steph's room. I didn't want to wake him."

"Fair enough."

"Are you in any pain?"

"No I'm good."

"How many stitches?"

"2 this time round and not 4 like after Maddie."

"I forgot to ask how much did he come in at?"

"8 lbs. 6 ounces."

"Big baby. He beat Cooper by an ounce. "

"Yeah the biggest Shepherd baby yet."

"Well just wait next baby delivered will be bigger."

"Who do you think will be popping out the next baby?"

"I don't know. Maybe Kathleen. It's been nearly 2 years since Lacey and this must be some sort of record for her."

"She's busy with work."

"Well if it's not her then maybe you."

"Yeah well let's just wait and see." Meredith says. "I will come by later with Derek. I have to go and see Cooper."

"Ok thanks for dropping by." Nancy says kissing her cheek.

"Bye Nanc." Meredith says leaving her room. She collects Cooper from Steph's room and holds him as she walks through the hospital and sees that Derek is almost finished. She goes and grabs a drink and waits by the room for Derek.

Cooper stays asleep in her arms and she waits. The doors finally open and the interns leave the room. Derek meets Meredith's eyes and comes over to her with a smile on his face. He kisses her cheek.

"What are you doing here disrupting our exam?" He says with his smile.

"Well we have a nephew and our 3 godchildren. And also I am an intern here at Seattle Grace. Acceptance letter came today."

"That is great." He says pulling her in for a hug and kisses her.

"Grey keep your little man under control next time." Mark says coming over to her.

"Sorry he is fast on his feet."

"Well it made me smile."

"Was the lady pissed?"

"No, she had a bit of a laugh when you left red faced. It's something you don't see every day."

"Hey Mark, go see Nancy. She's had the baby." Meredith says.

"What'd she have?"

"Just go and see her."

He takes off and Derek smiles at Meredith.

"Come on I'm taking you to meet your godchildren." She says leading him to Steph's room. "Hey can we come in?"

"Yeah sure." Steph says.

Derek goes straight over to look at the babies and his mood changes.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He says looking at Meredith.

"I didn't want to distract you. I kept it a secret."

"Well good work." He says.

"Alyssa, Bowen and Carleigh." Steph says pointing at them.

"They are beautiful. Congratulations you guys."

Meredith and Derek spent a good while in the room with their godchildren. The nurse had come in to take the babies down for their feed in the nursery so they left to meet their nephew and they still beat the rest of the family. They left and Cooper was now awake in Derek's arms and they walked to his locker room.

"I'm off now for 20 days."

"Do you pack up your locker?"

"Yeah. So if you want to get Kaylee and I will pack up."

"Sure." She says leaving the locker room to get Kaylee.

"Is Zach cute mummy?"

"He is gorgeous."

"What about the triplets. Has Sam seen them?"

"No not yet."

"When can I see them?"

"We will come by tomorrow ok and see everyone."

"Will I get to hold the babies?"

"Yes Kaylee don't you worry."

"Cooper's no longer the baby out of the cousin's mummy."

"No he isn't."

"Does that make you sad?"

"No it's life. Everyone is growing up."

They reach the locker room and go and sit down on one of the benches.

"I'm going to be in this room in a couple of weeks Kaylee."

"Are you going to get Daddy's locker?"

"I don't know. I will have to wait and see."

Derek takes the pictures off the door and has them on top of everything. Meredith flicks through them and realised how much growing up they have done since Kaylee was born. Each photo brings back the memories like a newborn Cooper and the 18 hours he took to make an entrance into the world.

"Ready to go home?" Derek asks.

"Yeah let's."

He zips up his bag and picks Cooper up. Meredith follows him out of the locker room with Kaylee clutching her hand and he says goodbye to everyone.

"Just think this is going to be you in a few weeks. Busy interning away."

"You can't distract me. You have to keep your distance and not do those eyes that make me want to rip the clothes off your body so badly. You can't do that."

"Well when can we do more on call room stuff?"

"Well I do not want to give a bad impression to everyone and have them talking about me. So we will not do any locked on call room action until everything settles down."

"Well that could take weeks."

"Derek you know that we can just come home and do it."

"Well the on call room is right there. I am always wanting it right now." He tells her as the four of them get into the elevator."

"Well we are not doing it right now are we."

"No we are riding an elevator together. The one place where we can come for kiss and disappear."

"Do you also have a thing for elevators?"

"I think I might."

"Well that's ok with me." She says smiling at him.

**What'd you think, let me know.**

**Next chapter will be a little filler. The day before they leave for the honeymoon and a flashback to the year before. **

**Please review so I know how interested you all are in this story.**


	58. Keep An Open Mind

The next few days Meredith and Derek were in packing mode. Well they decided that they wouldn't need that many clothes but they still ended up with 2 suitcases packed for 11 days.

They were also in packing mode for the kids considering they were flying with Carolyn, Amelia and Derek's Aunty Gwen.

"Derek I'm going say this I didn't think we would need this much stuff." Meredith says just looking at the bags.

"Yeah well I guess we think that we are going to be going out every day and doing things."

"Well all we need is swimmers and maybe clothes to wear on the plane and if we venture out of our hotel room. I don't think we need pyjamas."

"No pyjamas stay behind. You better not have packed any."

"No I didn't."

"Good." He says kissing her. "Just think this time tomorrow we are boarding that plane to Hamilton Island."

"I know. We can get away with being naked instead of being so careful well sometimes."

"We get to act like newlyweds who just sleep with each other and do it everywhere."

"Well the kids are staying at your mother's tonight. We can maybe kick start this honeymoon a day early."

"Well maybe we can." He says kissing her again. "But I suppose we will have to make an effort to do family activities."

"Mummy I need help packing." Kaylee says walking into their bedroom..

"Ok come on let's go." She says grabbing her hand. "Derek can you start on Cooper's gear please?"

"Sure Mer."

Meredith went to Kaylee's room and found the suitcase on the floor and her toys already packed.

"I got my toys sorted but I don't know what clothes to take."

"Ok the weather is going to be warm. Like our summer." She says. "So what do you think will be good to wear?"

"Well I need swimmers and shorts and shirts and dresses."

"Yeah, so how about we grab 3 pairs of shorts. Then we can pack t-shirts, dresses and your swimmers. You will also need your flip flops and sandals and maybe your joggers just in case you go for a walk. It may be cool at night so we will pack some long pants and sweaters."

"Okay mummy. Oh and maybe a couple pretty outfits just in case we go out for dinner."

"Yeah sure." Meredith says as she packs the clothes. "You will need underwear and socks as well."

Meredith grabs the shoes from her wardrobe and waits until Kaylee puts her socks and underwear in until she packs it.

"We forgot one thing."

"What mummy?"

"Pyjamas."

"Oh I can't forget those. What will I sleep in at night?" She says opening her draws and taking a couple of pyjamas out.

"Yeah baby."

She hurries around her room and puts them into the bag.

"I think we are all done mummy."

"Me too. Do you have your toys picked out?"

"It is all ok mummy. You don't have to worry mummy."

"I'm not worrying I'm just thinking about how much I am going to miss you for those couple of days."

"Well mummy it won't be for that long. The plane trip is a long time and you won't realise the amount of time we are apart."

"Ok well I will keep myself busy."

"Doing what mummy?"

The question she asked so innocently. Meredith had to stop and think how she would answer this question.

"Just talking to daddy." She tells her. "But you do know that you will spend a lot of time with Nanna."

"Are you and daddy going to have mummy and daddy time?"

"What's that?"

"Well when you and daddy tell each other how much you love each other and make love." She says.

Meredith felt her cheeks brighten a couple of shades of red. "Well yeah maybe." She chokes out. "It is our honeymoon so we most likely will. It's what most couples do after they are married."

"Well you and daddy have been married for over a year so you get to make love for the first time when you are away."

Meredith just looked at her daughter. If only she knew was all Meredith thought. She was too young to tell how she was made.

"Kaylee tell me how you think babies are made?" Meredith asked her. She knows Kaylee had been told minor details about it but she wanted to know Kaylee's views on babies.

"Well mummies and daddies make love and if they are lucky they make a baby."

"Yeah well let's just say that mummy and daddy have made love. That's how we made you and Coopie. Some people wait for their honeymoons but many don't. It won't be the first time." Meredith tells Kaylee playing with her hair.

"That's confusing mummy."

"How about when you are older we can have this talk and you'll understand me better. Just remember this conversation and tell me how you think babies are made."

"What if I forget?"

"Well then I will remind you and you will tell me. Just remember Kaylee that when you are a teenager and your hormones are crazy and you hate me and daddy and everyone else in your life, you tell me what is going on in your life and your thoughts and feelings about anything. You ask me questions about anything you are confused about because I am your mum and I love you. I made you from scratch and I understand every part of you. So just remember in 10 years you can come to me like a best friend and tell me anything because I will support you. I have said that to you since you were a few months old. Whatever happens I will be here for you even if you think it's the end of the world."

"Mummy I promise I will." She says hugging her. "I pinkie promise mummy." She says holding her pinkie out.

Meredith locks it and kisses her before pulling her in for another hug and holding the thing she made from scratch a few more moments. The pinkie promise would always stay in her mind and heart forever. She remembers the last pinkie promise she made with Derek back when she was due to have Kaylee.

"_No matter what happens, promise me you'll stay with me and peanut."_

He sort of broke the promise but she got over it. If she gets knocked down she gets straight back up.

"Mummy when will I get another sister."

"Soon Kaylee. In a couple of years I promise."

"You pinkie promise?"

"Well I pinkie promise that you will have a sibling in a couple of years." Meredith says holding out her pinkie. Kaylee locks it and goes back to playing with her toys. "Are you going to be right here?"

"Yeah mummy."

Meredith leaves her bedroom and goes to the nursery. Cooper is asleep in his cot and Derek is sitting on the floor packing clothes for Cooper.

"How'd packing go?" He asks.

"Yeah good. Kaylee asked if we were going to have mummy and daddy time and I asked her what that was and she said it was when they say I love you and make love. She also said that this will be the first time that we will make love." Meredith says. "She is just so cute and innocent."

"What'd you say to her?"

"I asked her how she thinks babies are made and she said that after people make love they are sometimes lucky to get a baby."

"Well she is true." Derek says smiling.

"Yeah I guess she is but I told her that if we hadn't made love then she wouldn't be."

"Telling our daughter about sex already. The preschool will be calling us up."

"I don't think so. She won't say anything." Meredith says helping Derek fold the clothes. "We have two pinkie promises in place."

"What are these promises?"

"Oh I can't tell you. Secret mother daughter things."

"You're playing the mother daughter card. That's not fair."

She just smiles at him. "I will tell you one of our promises then."

"What is it?"

"She asked for a baby sister and I promised a sibling in a few years."

"Oh well that is fair enough. We can make her that promise."

"Yeah we are still young another child will be good."

"Ok just estimate when you think we will at least have the next baby in our arms."

"In 3 years we will have a new child. It may not be a baby it could be close to a toddler."

"Halfway through your second year we will try again?"

"Maybe. We will just have to trust fate and see what happens in life between then and now."

"Well I am keen for another child."

"Well Cooper still is technically a baby."

"Only for 13 more days."

Meredith stands up and goes to the crib. "Our baby will be 1."

"It is crazy to think that and Kaylee is 5 in a few months."

"We are 23 this year Derek. 23 with a 4 and 1 year old."

"It's life. We will get judged but who cares because people have no reason to intrude in our personal life."

"God I love you." Meredith says.

"I love you too."

"Do you remember this time last year?" Meredith says with a smile.

"How could I forget?"

…

_Last year_

"Derek I am freaking out." A heavily pregnant Meredith says to Derek as he enters the lounge room and sits down beside her letting her put her feet up on his lap.

"What? Why?"

"I have 13 days until my due day. That's 2 weeks."

"Yeah I know."

"Derek you aren't taking this seriously. I mean Kaylee was born 3 weeks early. We had time to do her nursery but this one could be born today and we haven't sorted out the nursery properly. I mean we have the furniture and things but we haven't gotten my hospital bag ready. You haven't put the car seat in the car yet. We haven't done barely anything; the draws aren't filled with diapers and clothes."

"Meredith take a deep breath. We will get it sorted out. All we have to do is have a bed for the baby to sleep in for the first few weeks. Your hospital bag sorted and the car seat."

"Well we still need to get the diapers and all those things ready."

"Ok Mer we have all the onesies and blankets all sorted, you need to relax or you will go into labour."

"Ok fine. I'm going to go for a walk. Can you at least start assembling the furniture for me and put the car seat in the car."

"Of course I can."

"I know I'm being unreasonable."

"Hey its fine. You are allowed to be." He says kissing her forehead. "You're having my baby."

"I blame the Shepherd genes."

"Yeah well you can." He says standing up.

He gives her a hand up off the lounge and she goes to put her joggers on.

"Are you taking Kaylee?"

"Yeah I will. Is she upstairs?"

"She should be."

Meredith went upstairs and got Kaylee ready before they left for their walk. The air was cool and refreshed Meredith. As Kaylee rode, Meredith walked and ignored the looks of pass byers. Yeah it might have looked weird a woman being this heavily pregnant walking but it calmed Meredith and kept her sane. Plus she was exercising which the doctor said was perfectly healthy.

"Mumma when is the baby going to be here?"

"I don't know baby, maybe in a couple of weeks."

"Does your belly hurt being that big?"

"No it doesn't. My back hurts though."

"Well make sure daddy kisses it better."

"He does. He rubs my back because he loves me."

"Will it be a brother or a sister for me?"

"We are going to have to wait and see. Be surprised."

"Well I hope it's a sister so I can play with her."

"What about a brother. You can play with your brother."

"Not with baby dolls."

"Oh that is true. Well you can play other games."

"I'm going to make a list of things I want to do with the baby."

"Ok baby." Meredith says.

The two of them returned home from their walk. Derek had told her that the car seat was in the car ready and the furniture was all sorted and the draws were filled with washed onesies, blankets and diapers.

"You got everything finished quickly."

"Yeah well the cot just had to be assembled. I have the bassinet in the nursery and the cradle downstairs. The cot just has to be made and more diapers have to be picked up."

"Well after the baby shower I think we will have diapers to last us for a few weeks. I will make the cot now."

"What are we going for this time?"

"Well my instincts are saying to go for the blue set."

"You're thinking it's a boy?"

"Yeah I am thinking it's a boy but we can change it anyway. The blue matches in with the walls. Even purple or green or red will suit so it doesn't matter."

"You are one sexy Mumma." Derek says to her.

"Well thank you. You're a sexy dada."

"Any baby names picked out?"

"Well I'm still routing for Cooper if it's a boy."

"Cooper Isaac Shepherd if it's a baby boy."

"I like the sound of that."

"What about a girl's name?"

"I did like Lacey all those years ago but of course your sister had to take it."

"You shouldn't have said anything to her."

"Well maybe Carleigh."

"Carleigh. It's pretty. Zoe Shepherd. Just needs a middle name."

"Well we might not like Cooper if it's a boy. We just have to wait and see if he is a Cooper." Meredith says as she makes the cot up. "We have time before and after the birth. We have 2 weeks to decide on other names."

"We sure do. We have 2 weeks to do everything else and besides I'm not at med school. I can do the last of running around while you are at med school."

"But I want to do these things to nest. I'm nesting. That was the reason behind my hormonal breakout earlier."

"Well nesting is fine. Hormones are fine. Everything is fine. Even sex is fine."

"Hey just because my boobs are huge and my hormones are sending me into a sex maniac doesn't mean we can pursue having sex while our daughter is in the other room. Sex is for behind closed doors late at night where my sex crazed hormones can be put to good use."

"You're just like a horny teenager."

"Me? Excuse me it's like you are sharing my horny teenage hormones as well. You're just as bad." She says with a smile.

"Well are you complaining?'

"No because you are satisfying my needs."

"Oh you're so beautiful and funny when you are pregnant."

"Well soak in the beautiful and funny me now because it will disappear in a few short weeks."

"Well I will still have my beautiful, funny wife won't I?"

"Just with a baby on tap and the natural, no make-up, daggy clothes overtaking my body."

"Hey I think it's beautiful and sexy. Even if a baby is on tap and the sweats come out you are still beautiful." He says kissing her.

"You're too kind."

"Hey that's what I'm supposed to be. Father's guide to parenthood tells the partner all these things."

"You did not read the baby book. How do you know it says that?"

"Well when you were pregnant with Kaylee, Kathleen sat me down with John and pointed out all the things in the book and what to look for and what to do."

"Why'd they do that?"

"Because I was freaking out. I was going to become a dad at the age of 18 and the books don't prepare you for that."

"Why didn't you tell me this?"

"Because I wanted to be calm and supportive around you instead of freaking out. I went to them to find out what to do because I wanted to be a good father around you and I needed to grow up and be responsible so I went to them because they had just had a baby and John was experiencing these things now." Derek tells her. "He just told me that you can prepare yourself by growing up but also having an open mind about everything and that the moment the baby grabs hold of your finger for the first time you will realise that you can do this. It's the baby you made from scratch and you are the sole protector of that child."

"Well you kept your cool around me so well." Meredith says. "But I think it is true you have to have an open mind about the whole thing."

"I always do."

"I know you do." She says smiling at him. "The cot is made up. Time for the hospital bag."

"Mer we'll do that later. Let's go get dinner."

"Are you cooking?"

"No I was going to get take out. What do you want?"

"Chinese."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah I am."

"Ok well if you say so. Let's go."

After dinner they bathed Kaylee. The two of them were tucking her in and were headed to bed when Meredith stopped to covering her mouth.

"You right?"

"I… yeah I..." She says but makes a dart to the toilet.

He follows her and sees her hunched over the toilet. He immediately pulls her hair away and rubs her back.

"Morning sickness?" He asks her as she sits down.

"No I haven't had morning sickness after I hit the 4 month mark."

"It's not food poisoning is it?" He asks handing her a glass of water.

"I think it is." She says and that's when Derek hunches himself over the toilet. "Yeah food poisoning." Meredith says as she rubs his back.

The two of them ended up lying on the cool tiled floor close to the toilet. Derek laid a protective hand on Meredith's stomach and she lay with her head on his chest. They stayed like that for most of the night and after they decided that they were feeling better they retreated to the bed.

"I was going to let you take advantage of my horniness but I feel like I am going to puke again."

"Well for a count I'm never eating Chinese food."

"Hey I never eat it because I got food poisoning last time but the baby wanted it. I'm just never going to touch the stuff again."

"Oh I think that is a good idea. We vow to never eat it again."

"I'm glad we got Kaylee pizza."

"I know because she would be up all night."

"Promise me again never are we getting Chinese again."

"Oh that is a done deal." He says kissing her.

…

"Food poisoning such a romantic way to spend an evening." Derek says as he zips up Cooper's bag and follows Meredith with it downstairs.

"Hey there are worst things that could have happened."

Meredith had Cooper in her arms and decided to feed him. Derek packed the kids gear into the car and came back inside.

"Are you going to stop breast feeding him?"

"Not yet. I will wait a few weeks. "

"Yes but you have to be nice to Nanna. So no getting sick or no teething. Be a happy baby like you always are. Just make Nanna's days with you a treat and make life for her fun because she sometimes doesn't get to have a lot of fun and make sure you are nice to Gwen and Amy and also Kaylee. But don't worry she will look after you."

"Yes she'll look after you like the way big sisters are supposed to."

After Cooper was fed they got Kaylee and Cooper all in the car to go to Carolyn's. Kaylee was quiet which was unusual for her. As soon as they arrived at Carolyn's Derek let Kaylee out and she walked straight inside.

Carolyn came out and greeted them and took Cooper from his seat while Meredith and Derek gathered the bags to take inside.

"Thank you so much for doing this Ma." Derek says to her.

"No worries. Gives me time to spend with the kids."

"We wouldn't have booked if it hadn't been for you."

"Well you guys deserve a holiday. You also deserve to take a break and relax before you go to work."

"Yeah it worked out good." Meredith says. "I still think we should have went on that babymoon."

"A babymoon?"

"Oh it's like a honeymoon but you get to take a holiday before the baby comes or you take a holiday with your baby to get to know it."

"That's kind of cool but weird at the same time."

"Well good for parents with high demanding careers."

"Anyway we better be going. Have to stop by the hospital and pick up a few other things before we board tomorrow." Derek says.

"Bye my little man. Don't do any growing up while we are away." She says kissing him. "The invitations for his party have been sent out. People know we are away so they won't call."

"Bye Coopie. We will see you in a couple of days."

"Where's Kaylee?"

"She went straight outside."

Meredith and Derek walk outside and find her sitting on the back step with her head in in her hands.

"Hey baby, we are going now." Meredith says to her.

"Ok." She mumbles.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't want you to go mummy and daddy. I want you to stay here with me."

"Well sweetie you are coming on holidays with us you are just flying with Nanna."

"But what about when you become a doctor. You won't have time for me."

"I will make the time. I love you and that won't change. I am keeping an open mind about the whole thing because it is life changing. You have to promise to keep an open mind."

"Ok."

"You know what Kaylee, when I found out mummy was having you I was freaking out and I couldn't keep myself calm because I was becoming a dad but I was told to have an open mind because you don't know what to expect and I'm glad I did because the moment you grasped my finger I knew it would be fine. You just need that open mind and wait until someone grabs a hold of your hand and tells you everything will be ok."

Kaylee looks between the two of them and wraps her arms around them.

"It also means more daddy time. You get to be with dad more."

"That means we make up for lost time."

"Yeah exactly." Derek says. "We have to get going Peanut. We will see you in 3 days' time."

"Ok daddy."

"Bye Kay."

"Bye mummy." She says kissing her. "Bye Daddy."

"Bye sweetie."

They leave her and leave Carolyn's.

"You used the open mind speech." Meredith says.

"It worked though didn't it?"

"Yeah it did. Why are you so dreamy?"

"Well that's what happens when you grow up with sisters. You learn to listen and become every girl's knight in shining whatever."

Meredith leans in kissing him. "I love you, you are my knight in shining whatever."

**Let me know what you thought. Updates will be quicker. Next update will be the flight to their honeymoon.**

**Read and review.**


	59. Our Honeymoon

**Ok, I apologise sincerely for the huge wait. Time has just seemed to escape me and I haven't had the chance to update (I'm blaming this huge art assignment particularly). Anyway I should go back to regular updating when I finish my assignments due in the next few weeks. Then I am on holidays so more regular updates and I am hoping to share a new story that I am writing. I'm kind of excited for it. I will only post the new story when I complete it so except that soon.**

**This is just a fun chapter involving their plane trips and the mischievous things they get up to.**

The alarm sounded at 5 that morning. Meredith and Derek had to be at the airport by 7 to check in and board by 8.30. Derek hit the alarm and snuggled closer into Meredith.

"We better get up or we will miss the plane." Derek says mumbling into her bare shoulder.

"But we could and stay here for 11 days."

"Well then we should not have booked a honeymoon. We could have just stayed at a hotel."

"You know what I mean." She says rolling over to face him.

That night they ordered in and celebrated due to the fact that Derek had passed his exams and would be a resident. The two of them got a night to themselves without waking up to feed or reassure Kaylee about her nightmares. They had a night free from a pager. It was a night to themselves which they haven't had for a while.

"Come on lets shower have breakfast and go." Derek says helping her up from the bed.

The two shower, dress and eat. Derek had called for a taxi so they sat around the house waiting for the taxi to arrive and take them to the airport.

"Do you have the passports?" Derek asks.

"Um yeah I do."

"Tickets?"

"Yes. Passports and both tickets are all in there. We are fine."

"Good." He says kissing her. "Because I wanted to spend 11 days with you on the beach in the sun."

"Me too." She says. A car horn beeps from outside.

Derek grabs the bags and Meredith locks up the house. They climb into the cab and the driver heads to the airport.

"Where are the two of you off to?" The cabbie asks.

"Australia. Well Hamilton Island but we have to fly to Australia to get to the Island."

"What's the special occasion?"

"Our honeymoon."

"Oh so the two of you are newlyweds?"

"Well if you count being married for 15 months newlyweds yeah of course."

"Sorry for the personal questions but why 15 months after the wedding?"

"Well we were attending med school and just about to have another baby. Timing wasn't right but since I have been promoted to a resident and Mer is becoming an intern we are honeymooning now to relax before we become full time working parents."

"Well you will manage. It may be difficult for the first month but once you have a routine settled and you are settled in your job you will manage."

"Well that is what we have been told." Derek says smiling at Meredith.

"How old are your kids?"

"We have a 4 year old and our son is a year at the end of the month."

"I have 4 kids. They grow up too quickly."

"Oh they sure do. The past year has flown with our baby. We get back the day before his birthday so he will be most likely twice the size then what he is now."

"I know the feeling."

The drive to the airport took over 30 minutes and they paid the cab driver and collected their bags and headed into the terminal to check in.

"Hi, how can I help you?"

"We have a flight to LA."

"Oh yes. Can I just see your tickets?"

Meredith hands the tickets over and she scans them.

"Okay just your bags up here and we will tag them then send them through."

Derek places the bags on the belt and they are tagged before being sent through. Derek grabs Meredith's hand and they walk through to their gate.

"Do you want anything to eat?"

"No I am fine."

"Good." He says smiling at her. "We have less than an hour."

"I'm excited." She tells him.

"Me too. Extremely excited."

They get to the next check point and place their gear in the trays and walk through the scanners with ease and collected their gear again and walk to their gate.

"Why are airports so big?"

"It's not that bad. There are worse airports then this."

"Well we hardly ever catch planes."

"Well if we were frequent flyers we would be used to it."

"Well this is our first family overseas holiday but we do have you mother looking after the kids."

"It's our honeymoon, she needed a holiday anyway but I'm glad we have her here to help because overseas holidays are hard to take when you have young kids."

"And when you don't have a full time career."

"Well Richard would be more than happy to let us take time off for another overseas holiday."

"We should wait a while. At least until Cooper is older."

"Where would we go?"

"I've always wanted to go to Italy or Greece. Maybe even to New Zealand or Australia."

"New Zealand would be good. It's quite kid friendly. So is Australia."

"Well a lot of places you go to are now." She says. "I want to go bungee jumping."

"You serious?"

"Yeah. I think it would be fun."

"It is quite dangerous."

"It has the same risks as driving to work. It's not that dangerous."

"Well maybe you can. I will let you go because I love you."

"Thank you." She says kissing him.

"_Boarding call for flight 342 to Los Angeles is now boarding. Please proceed to the boarding desk."_

Derek and Meredith stay hand in hand as they line up with all the other travellers. Derek has the tickets in his hand. They stand behind a family with 4 young kids. Proceeding to the front they hand the tickets over.

"Have a safe trip."

"Thank you." Meredith says to the lady and they continue their walk through the doors and board the plane finding their seats.

"So in LA in a couple of hours. Then rush to the international terminal and checked in to catch our 12 pm flight." Meredith says.

"So we have to be first ones off the plane."

"Yeah we do." She says snuggling into him. "We can be the pushy travellers and do what others do."

"God you're amazing." He says to her.

"Thanks." She says slightly blushing.

The flight soon takes off into the air and they are close to landing.

"So our flight to Brisbane is going to be 12 hours. Any plans to kill time." Derek whispers in her ear seductively.

"Yeah sleep and talk."

"No I mean any other planes?"

"Oh well we could. How quick and secretly do you think we can do it?"

"Hey we have 2 kids. We know how to be quick." He says.

"Well I will think about that."

"Be the entertainment for the plane." He says with a smile.

"They won't hear us."

"Hey you can be loud. I usually kiss you to muffle the sound."

"So you tell me that now."

"Well I don't want Kaylee to wake in the middle of the night to screaming. It will scare her."

"Well I was loud last night because we had the house to ourselves. I'm usually quiet the other times."

"Okay yeah you are."

"Well it turns you on."

"Oh believe me it does. You turn me on." He says seductively.

"Can you please change your conversation to something more appropriate. I don't want to hear how loud you can get when you have sex." A man in front of them says turning around.

"Well if you don't eavesdrop then you won't hear our conversation."

The man turns back around rolling his eyes and Meredith and Derek share a look before breaking into a fit of laughter and then being told to be quiet.

"People aren't happy with us." Derek says.

"Well it will only be a little while longer, they can cope."

"I will tell you something if we didn't have Kaylee at that time I would have loved to backpack around the world with you. I would have seen the world with you."

"Wouldn't you have gone to med school?"

"Yeah but not until the year after like you did."

"I always did think about that. Travel Europe and Australia as backpackers and see the world. It would have been an eye opener."

"You're an eye opener and a head turner."

"Are you trying to seduce me on this trip because I will take you right here in front of everyone?" She says.

"Well I would to. Our talk from before is getting me kind of hot." He whispers in her ear.

"Oh well I can help with that." She whispers. "Give me your sweater."

He takes his sweater off and hands it to Meredith. She undoes his seat belt before laying the sweater over his lap. Her hand undoes his zipper and her hands go into his pants catching him off guard. The breath in Derek's throat catches and his grip on the arm rest tightens.

"Don't make a noise." She says to him.

He sits there waiting and trying not to make a noise. She grabs his head and lays it on her shoulder so when he reaches his climax he can use her shoulder.

Meredith sat there normally like most of the passengers. Derek sat beside her trying not to breakout and disrupt the passengers travelling. He reached his climax and used Meredith's shoulder to hide his pleasure. Meredith brought her hand from his pants and rested it back on her lap and let Derek deal with everything else.

"God I would have never expected you to do that." He says to her.

"Hey I have my ways. I'm just killing time. And this isn't even the 12 hour plane trip." She says. "You will have to wait and see what I have prepared for you then."

"God that makes me even more turned on." He says to her. "When I get the chance you are going to get the best loving that you have ever had."

"Well I am waiting for that." She says smiling at him.

…

The plane landed and Meredith and Derek left the plane to grab their luggage and go and check in at the international airport to fly to Brisbane. They had only a few minutes to spare until they were expected at the check in. The two made it to the check in and waited in line along with everyone else.

"One of my fantasies was to always make love to you in front of a crowd at an airport." Derek says.

"Are you serious?"

"I'm kidding."

"That is good." She says with a smile. "Mine has always been on an airplane."

"Good you're doing it again."

"Next please."

Meredith smiles seductively at Derek as they move to check in.

"Hi how are we today?"

"Great." Derek says handing over their tickets.

"Headed on a holiday?"

"Our honeymoon." Meredith says.

"Oh well couples always come through here and look just like you do. Let me see what I can do." She says.

Derek and Meredith share a smile.

"There are two available seats in first class. You can have them two to make your honeymoon even special."

"Well we don't really care where we go as long as we have each other than that will be special."

"Well Mr and Mrs Shepherd enjoy your honeymoon and the years to come as a married couple."

"Well we already have two kids so we are experiencing other things."

"Well enjoy parenthood. It won't be long before the kids are leaving home."

"Thank you."

Derek and Meredith walk away with each other and their first class seats smiling and acting all loving. Derek with his arm around Meredith's neck and Meredith close to his side and one arm around his waist and the other across his chest.

"First class lounge remember." Meredith says.

"Yes I do remember." He says to her as they approach the security check point again. They do the same as they did earlier and walk through collecting their gear before heading to the other desk to show their passports and tickets then to first class lounge.

"I'm going to go to the toilet." She says.

"Okay. I'll wait for you here."

She leaves and Derek takes a seat.

"_Boarding for flight 777 to Brisbane, Australia will now begin." The voice on the speaker says. _

Derek watches as the people approach the desk for first class.

"Sir are you boarding?"

"Yeah, I'm just waiting for my wife." An attendant asks.

"Okay."

Meredith comes back smiley and fresh. "Let's go."

They show their tickets and are let through the doors. He holds her hand again as they make the walk again. They are shown their seats and are seated.

"I am looking forward to this trip." She says.

"I know. First time in first class."

"Hey we get beds and champagne and comfy chairs."

"Well it's a great way to start the honeymoon. Even though it started on the last plane trip."

Meredith just smiles at him. "We can start again if you want."

"Well not just yet. We'll wait until after lunch."

"We better message your mum before we leave."

Derek takes his phone out and hands it to Meredith. She sends a quick message to Carolyn to let her know that they are just about to leave the airport and to kiss the kids and tell them that we are thinking about them and that they will see them in a days' time. She hands Derek his phone back and sits and relaxes waiting for the long 12 hour journey to start.

"Is your supply full?" Meredith asks.

"Well yeah but you're on the pill anyway so we can risk it."

"But still I was just wondering so I knew how many times we could disappear."

"You just wait and see. We could set a record."

"A record for the most times achieved on one airplane trip. Yeah that is a proud record."

"A proud record that Mark would want to break."

Meredith just laughs at him.

"_The flight to Brisbane, Australia will begin in a few short minutes. Make sure seats and trays are in their upright positions and seat belts are fitted securely. Mobile phones and other electronical devices should be turned off and stored away until we give the all clear. The air hostess are pointing to emergency exits if we have to make an emergency landing. They are positioned to the front of the business class and the back of first class. Lunch will be served in an hour and we are expected to land in Australia 7pm tomorrow night Australia time. Air hostess are here to make your flight comfortable. Just ask one of them and they will give you their best care. Sit back and relax and take off will begin shortly."_

"This is it. First overseas plane trip and our honeymoon." Meredith says to him.

"I love you." He says kissing her.

"I love you too."

They sat holding hands as the plane started to leave the tarmac and lift off into the air. The take-off happened with ease and they were at a steady height. They waited for the seat belt sign to turn off so they could sneak off.

"It's off let's go." Meredith says to him.

"You go. I will wait a few minutes then follow behind you. I will knock 3 times and you open the door." He says.

"Okay. I'm going now." She says as she gets up and walks down to the toilet.

Derek has the need to watch her and waits until she is out of sight before he gets up. He chooses the occupied toilet and knocks 3 times before Meredith opens the door and drags him in with her.

"God it's small." He says.

"We can make do with the space." She says as she starts kissing Derek. "We gotta do this fast."

"I can do fast. I was born to do things fast." He tells her. He picks her up and sits her on the basin.

The touching of the body and feeling is done quickly before the pants come down and the underwear follows.

After 10 minutes together they stand in front of the mirror and tidy themselves up.

"Fast and quiet. We are too good." Meredith says.

"Were getting the hang of this." Derek says.

"I'm going to go back now. Make sure you lock the door after I leave and wait a minute or so."

He watches Meredith leave and locks the door.

"Oh hi." Meredith says to a male passenger standing outside. He just smiles at her and nods his head.

Meredith walks down the aisle to their seats. She doesn't know if people are eyeing her because of what just happened or because they are nosey people. She just keeps her walk and sits down. Derek soon sits beside her and they share a professional look before breaking into laughter.

"That guy waiting outside the toilet had a look of well done when I left?" Derek says. "He knew what we did."

"Well he watched as I left and the bathroom became occupied again and watched as you left."

"Hey there could be many fantasies thought up."

"Derek is this appropriate?"

"Well we have 12 hours to kill. We can come up with these things to kill time. Even try out these fantasies."

"We should wait a while for the fantasies. Until a few hours." She says to him.

After lunch the two sat.

"What about those fantasies?"

"Well I don't have an air hostess outfit. I could have been the slutty hostess who hooks up with guys in the toilet."

"Oh now you are talking." He says. "We could be two total strangers. We happen to end up on the plane with each other. You are a lady who is unhappily married and you husband is a deadweight and doesn't care a single bit about you. I could be the newly separated man after he caught his wife in a very surprising position with his best friend."

"We can sit and she could start crying. He starts to comfort her and she apologises for the outburst and the breakdown. He tells her that everything is fine."

"Let's act it out."

"I'm not crying."

"Okay well you don't have to." He says to her. "Are you alright?"

"I just don't know how to live anymore. My husband is a jerk who doesn't care a bit about me. He steals from me to drink himself silly. I want to leave him but he was so amazing when I met him. We done everything with each other like travelled but now he is drinking himself to an early death. I want to start a family but I can't with that bastard. He doesn't even touch me anymore."

"Well it is fine. I caught my wife in bed with my best friend. I am moving across the country to have a new life."

"So life just doesn't suck for me?"

"No it doesn't." He says placing a hand on her leg. "That was good. We can fast forward a bit."

"Okay well she falls asleep on his shoulder. He leaves a kiss to her forehead and lays with her as well. When she wakes she finds his hand linking with her. She sits for a while looking at his hand. She leans over to him and whispers." She says. "I'm sure you want to get revenge at your wife. I want revenge on my husband. Follow me." She says getting up and heading down the aisle again.

Derek waits and then follows her again. She opens the door to him and drags him in once again. They share their fantasy and love before returning back to their seats.

"Yeah the quietness didn't happen that time." Meredith says.

"Yeah it didn't." He says. "At least we gave the passengers something to talk about."

8 hours past and they had crossed international waters and time zones.

"_We should be arriving in Brisbane in 15 minutes. People should start returning to their seats and putting seat belts on." The voice says. "Brisbane is Queensland's Capital and is one of the biggest cities in Australia. The sunshine coast gets its nickname for the sunshine that they receive all year round and the beautiful warm weather. Their summers can reach 40 degrees Celsius and their winters can get as low as 10 degrees. The capitol is surrounded by water and in just 2011 their famous river that runs through the city rose and flooded in those terrible floods that claimed nearly 100 hundred lives. The town has since recovered and it's hard to think that they were almost underwater." The voice says again. "The time in Brisbane is 7.11 pm on the 19__th__ of June. The outside temp is 18 degrees, with a chill. We should be in Brisbane in no time."_

And the voice was right. They landed in Brisbane and were soon let off the plane. They walked through quarantine and through to baggage claim.

"Do you want to get some cheap alcohol while we are?" Derek asks.

"Yeah sure."

"You go and choose. I will grab our bags and wait?"

Meredith chose the bottles of alcohol for their stay and met up with Derek before they headed over to the other airport to fly to the Island.

"God all this travelling."

"Well we won't have the Seattle to LA flight next time and we are going to have a good break in Brisbane before we fly again." He tells her.

The check in again and their flight is in an hour but will only be 45 minutes. They grab something to eat and board the small plane and are flown to Hamilton Island. They collected their luggage again and leave the small airport and are taken to the hotel.

"Hi checking in for Shepherd?"

"Oh yes in the honeymoon suite." She says with her Australian accent. "Okay room 14 on the 3rd floor."

"Thank you." He says.

They drag their bags across the floor and to the elevator before they walk down the hallway to their room. Derek opens the room and Meredith can't believe her eyes.

"Well the Australians know how to make your stay comfortable." Meredith says as she falls on the bed.

"Oh you should check out this view." Derek says opening the doors to the balcony.

She gets up and goes to the balcony and sees the view of the water. He wraps his arms around her.

"Best view. Almost as good as our view of Seattle." She says.

"Well this comes close." He says kissing her temple. "What do you want to do?"

"Sleep before any sex happens and shower."

"Okay we can sleep and shower."

**I hoped you enjoyed that. Please review so I know people are interested. **

**Their honeymoon continues with a morning snorkel and Carolyn and the kids arrive next chapter.**

**So review and I will update ASAP.**


	60. Am I still one now?

**Sorry for the delay again. I need to get back into a habit of updating.**

**This is just the day after and the family arrives at the island. **

**Enjoy**

Derek and Meredith woke in each other's rooms. This was their first morning in Hamilton Island. That night they showered together before hitting the bed and not sleeping but having sex for a few hours before they fell asleep. Derek had been awake for an hour and just watched Meredith sleep. It was almost 9 o'clock as well and they slept in which was something unusual for them but something they were taking granted of.

She woke to his blue eyes on her and she smiled before kissing him.

"Morning." She says.

"Yes a beautiful morning it is." He says. "The weather said it should be about 25 degrees Celsius."

"What time are they all getting in?"

"They should be here after 12."

"Okay that's good because I need to feed Cooper badly."

"I thought you brought the pump?"

"I did but I couldn't be bothered sitting there expressing milk for him."

"I get what you mean. What do you want to do while we wait?"

"Eat and maybe check out a guide to plan out our 9 days here."

"Sure. I like the idea of snorkelling and windsurfing."

"Well there are hundreds of things we can do."

"And I know one we can do right now." He says kissing her.

…

After breakfast they decided to go scuba diving for the time they were waiting. It was an hour and a half and was just right outside their hotel. They dressed in their swimmers and grabbed their towels and headed down to the scuba diving group and were suited up. The instructor got them in the water to practice and they were then on the boat and taken out to the check point.

"Okay one at a time you will fall backwards into the water and swim the 6 metres from the boat." The instructor said. "Who wants to go first?"

"Oh me please." Meredith says.

"Okay Meredith."

Meredith sat on the edge and smiled at Derek. Her goggles were on and her breathing apparatus was ready to go in her mouth as soon as she fell into the water. She took a deep breath, fell into the water and placed the apparatus in her mouth and swam the 6 metres from the boat. She waited and watched the 4 other members do the same thing.

She couldn't get over at how beautiful and clear the water was. She also got to watch the sea creatures swim beneath her. The instructor led them through the water and they had their marked out zones to where they could and couldn't swim.

Derek was also amazed at the turtles that they swam with. They had come up to the group and danced around them before swimming off again. He remembered watching Finding Nemo with Kaylee and realised that he was swimming in a part where the film was based. He was just amazed at the clearness of the water and how pure it looked.

Meredith became excited when a dolphin came up to her and danced and twirled around her. It high fived her and swam around the other members of the group. She had always wanted to meet a dolphin and she had.

The colours of the ocean reef amazed them as well. Their 40 minutes under the water was soon up and they swam back to the boat and took their apparatuses off and their goggles.

"Oh my god. It was amazing. I can't believe at how beautiful it is under there." Meredith says to Derek.

"Kaylee won't be happy that we got to swim with Nemo." Derek says. "Even though we didn't."

"Who's Kaylee?" The instructor asked.

"Our 4 year old daughter. We are here on our honeymoon but my mum is bringing her here with our son, my aunty and sister."

"How long have the two of you been married for?"

"15 months." Meredith says. "It was our time to go on one now because we were really busy last year."

"Well my wife and I have been married 5 years and haven't taken our honeymoon yet." The instructor said. "The two of you are allowed to have one 15 months later."

"Thanks. We also couldn't stand leaving our kids for 11 days. I'm still feeding our son so it was easier having him here but doing things with his nanna."

"We just meet up for dinner, breakfast and lunch and for some activities."

"Oh well that sounds like a good idea. How old is your son?"

"He turns one on the 30th of this month. Our baby is growing up."

"I know how that feels." Another diver says. "My kids are having their own kids and they are growing up so fast. I just wish they would stay little babies."

Meredith just smiles.

"Okay it's time to hop back on the boat." The instructor says. "Swim around to the ladder and climb up."

"With our flippers on?"

"Yeah it may seem weird but you walk with your feet turned out but if it is that difficult then take them off without dropping them then climb up."

One a time the group climbed the steps and were on board the boat again. Derek helped Meredith take the oxygen tank off her back. She pulled her wetsuit to her hips and took her flippers off and sat on the boat and watched the water go by why the instructor drove back to shore. Derek sat beside her with his arm around her waist and she leant her head on his shoulder.

"That was fun." She says to him.

"Oh it sure was." He says. "We should do snorkelling tomorrow."

"How about another activity. The sunset kayaking sounds good. We have the day to spend in the hotel or on the beach then go kayaking at sunset."

"Sounds romantic." He says kissing her.

The boat arrived at the dock and they all carried their gear to the hire shop and signed back in and collected their towels.

"We have half an hour before the plane should be getting in. Do you want to get lunch?"

"Lunch sounds great." She says. He just smiles at her. "Hey that took a lot out of me."

"I know it did. I know something else that will."

"Hey this is a family place we will not talk about those activities here." She says holding her hand up.

"Well how about in the privacy of our own room?"

"That is better."

The two grabbed a bite and saw the shuttle bus come into town and stop.

"That's them." Meredith says.

Her and Derek leave the café and wait. They see the family on the bus and then see Kaylee jumping down from the steps and running straight over to Meredith and Derek.

"Mummy. Daddy." She says wrapping her arms around their legs.

"Hey baby girl."

"I got to go on a huge aeroplane and it was so much fun." She says.

"We got to go on one as well. Guess what else we saw? We saw some turtles and dolphins."

"What about Nemo?"

"Yeah we did. Guess what the dolphin did?" Meredith says.

"Kiss you?"

"No it high fived me and danced around me."

"Wow mummy. That must have been so cool."

"Yeah it was."

Amelia came off the bus with Cooper and Carolyn and Gwen were right behind her. Cooper was taking in his new surroundings.

"Hey Coopie." Meredith says.

He follows her voice and tracks her and a smile appears on his face and the squirming in Amelia's arms starts to happen. She places him on the ground and he runs towards his mummy. She picks him up into his arms and kisses him.

"He has been dying to see you. On the plane over from Brisbane we were like you will see mummy and daddy soon. Mummy and daddy will be holding you in no time."

"Did he sleep at all?" Meredith asks.

"On the trip over he slept on and off. We had to feed him every couple of hours but he slept when he was tired." Carolyn says.

"So he didn't cry?"

"At first he did when take-off happened but after we were in the air and you gave him a bottle he was fine."

"That is good." Meredith says kissing him.

"Hi aunty Gwen." Derek says hugging his aunty.

"Derek, god you have gotten too big."

"So I hear." Derek says smiling.

"Meredith it is so nice to see you after all these years. I am glad to finally meet my great niece and nephew."

"Yes it is." She says kissing her cheek.

"So how about we go down to the hotel and check you all in. We can have an afternoon at the beach." Derek says.

Kaylee grabs Meredith's hand and Meredith holds Cooper. Kaylee's toy bag is on her back. The numerous bags are carried along the street to the hotel.

"He is dying for a feed as well Mer." Carolyn says. "He drank all the milk on the plane. We had to keep him amused with fruit sticks and fruit. He could also do with a sleep."

"Well maybe you can all get settled in and we can wait a couple of hours before going to the beach. We can work out our plans for the week."

"Did you and Derek go Scuba diving this morning?"

"Yeah we did. The water is so beautiful here so is the sand. The sand is white and the water is clear."

"Well I was reading up on my history of Australia and it has been named on the heritage list. It is also a national park because of the beautiful waters."

"It is so pure and the animals who live there is spectacular. The dolphins are beautiful."

"I think that they have a session for kids and you can go and meet dolphins and play with them. It is also a water safety class for kids so they learn the importance of swimming at the beach and the dangerous animals. We could maybe get her in to see the dolphins and it is an educational program."

"Well Derek can maybe book in for her. It should be down at one of the main pools."

"There are so many things here for everyone and it is quite cheap."

"That's why Derek and I chose here." She says. "Well you pick a day and you and Gwen can go and have a day together. We will take the kids somewhere."

"Thank you."

"Well you brought the kids here and offered up your time to come here just so we could have the kids nearby it is a way to repay you."

"Meredith you have given me two beautiful grandkids and have become a part of the family that is the biggest repayment you could ever ask for."

"You're too kind."

They were checked in and taken to the room. Double bed, 2 singles and a cot for Cooper. Meredith decided to feed Cooper now so she sat on one of the chairs and fed him while they sorted out activities that they would all like to do. Meredith just sat bonding with Cooper and when she held him she felt as though she was catching up on all the hours she missed over the last few days.

"Mum Kay and I will sleep in the double if you want the single."

"Okay Amy." Carolyn says. "I could do with lunch though."

"Well there is a takeaway shop just downstairs. Fresh seafood is always best."

"Yeah well that will be good. It is called fish and chips here Derek. Not French fries. Remember fish and chips."

"Okay Ma. Amy do you want to come for a walk?"

"Yeah okay. Kay do you want to come?" She asked but when she turned to face Kaylee she was asleep. "Well that is a no."

"We'll be back soon."

"Book Kaylee in for the class this afternoon."

"Okay. Bye." He says as they leave the room.

"Did Kaylee sleep on the plane?"

"Not really. I think an hour max. It is hard though changing time zones and things."

"Yeah well it could have been a normal day for her but like you said you change time zones."

"She was good on the plane though except for take-off but her ears are quite sensitive at her age. We gave her some lollies to chew on." Gwen says.

"Did you have trouble getting past with the breast milk?"

"We had it in a flask and we had the bottles emptied. They were really contemplating whether or not to give it over. I just explained to them that this is his only milk and that his mum is not on the flight with us. The lady was a woman and let us through with it."

"That's good because I was scared that you would have to tip it out and he wouldn't have anything to drink."

"Well they sometimes don't let mothers take formula on the plane which is stupid because what are they going to feed their babies."

"Yeah it is stupid."

Meredith finished feeding him and rocked him to sleep. She laid him down in the cot and kissed Kaylee's head before sitting beside Carolyn and Gwen and deciding what they were going to do. Meredith sat looking at different brochures as well for things that Derek and her could do. Derek and Amy came back with lunch and the others ate while Meredith and Derek sat deciding what they would do.

"Kaylee is booked in for the 4 o'clock class. They said that Cooper could join them in the pool to meet the dolphins. Just one of us will have to go with him."

"Oh okay well you can go if you want. You can go and play with the dolphins."

"What about you?"

"I want to take pictures of my children enjoying their first overseas holiday."

"Okay well we can take turns anyway."

It was after 3 when they dressed the kids in their swimmers and coated them in sunblock. Meredith went and grabbed her handbag with the camera and came back down and met up with everyone else. Cooper wanted to be carried by Meredith so she had him in her arms and he stayed by his mother's side with his hat and sunglasses on his head. Kaylee was piggybacked by Derek across to the pools. Amelia had followed them as well but stopped off at the beach to go swimming.

"Hi my daughter is booked in for this afternoon's class." Meredith says. "Kaylee Shepherd."

"Oh yes Kaylee and your son Cooper is going to just sit in for the dolphins?" The guy instructor said.

"Yes he is. He is too young to sit and listen, he is a smart boy but he is too young yet."

"No that is fine. Parents do this a lot of the time. Have an older sibling sit in and they have the younger child in for the touch pool."

Meredith just smiles at him. "So is it fine that Derek sits in with him?"

"Yes it is. The class is just about to begin so if you want to get Kaylee and Cooper ready."

Derek sets Kaylee to the ground and takes her shoes and hat off. Meredith takes Cooper's hat and sunglasses off and hands him to Derek to take in the water. Cooper's face lights up with a smile as soon as he gets in the water. Meredith sits on the edge watching.

"See her, god she is one hot lady." Meredith hears. She doesn't turn because she knows that they are talking about her. "If she wasn't married I would be asking her out straight away. Hottest MILF out there and fine piece of arse."

"How do you know that she is married?"

"The ring on the finger and the kids and the guy who keeps looking at her with loving eyes."

"Well you would have to beat me to it."

Meredith just clears her throat and ignores them. The guy walks by her and wades into the pool and swims over to the kids. Meredith had to admit that the Australian's were quite amazing to look at with their bodies and tanned skin and their accents. It was only right that she looked. Guys look at girls all the time but she felt wrong because she was on her honeymoon.

"Hu guys, I am Jack and this is beach safety for kids." He introduces. "Who can tell me what swims in the sea at the beach?"

"Can I say something daddy?"

"Yeah baby."

"Sharks."

"Good work Kaylee. Can you tell me something else?"

"Fish."

"Good work. Fish, sharks, dolphins, turtles and all kinds of things live under the sea. What creature is dangerous?"

"Sharks."

"How do you know that Kaylee?"

"Well back at home at preschool we learnt about this and because I watched Finding Nemo."

"Where are you from Kaylee?"

"Seattle in America."

"Do you know that they based the scenes from Finding Nemo here on The Great Barrier Reef?"

"No I didn't."

"Well they are." He says. "Can someone else tell me something about swimming at the beach?"

"Between the flags." Another boy says.

"Yes Jesse. Between the flags is an important practice that you should follow when you swim at the beach because that is the safest area to swim in at that moment and time of day. By swimming between the flags you could save your own life." He tells the kids. "Has anyone swam at a swimming pool before?" He asks as kids hands go up. "Do you know what this means?" He asks as he blows his whistle 3 times?"

The kids just look at him.

"That means get out of the pool because there is a thunderstorm or because an accident has happened. When you are at the beach there is a siren that is sounded or those whistles are blown to warn people to get out of the water quickly and safely. We do this for safety. So if we have to rescue someone or there is a rip or a shark we want people out of the water immediately so we can have their safety met."

With the introduction to being a safe swimmer Kaylee sat watching and taking everything in. She asked and answered questions to the best of her ability and he got the kids in life jackets and in the water to practice swimming and safe procedures like if they were having trouble swimming by sticking their fist straight in the air and try and float on their backs.

"Okay now for the exciting part we are going to go over to the other pool and meet some friends of mine. So if you want to go to the steps and walk very carefully to other pool you will be able to meet some of my friends." He says to them.

Derek and Meredith head over to the other pool and see the kids sitting on the steps waiting.

"I would like you all to meet Penny and Casper." Jack says as he lets the dolphins into the pool.

Kaylee's face lights up as she sees the dolphins. Jack pats each of the dolphins and gets them to do some tricks.

"Who would like to meet the dolphins?"

Kaylee's hand shoots straight up in the air.

"Okay Kaylee come on over."

Kaylee climbs down from the step and Jack comes over and grabs her hand.

"So Kaylee you are going to stand here with me and the dolphins will come up to you. Don't freak out because they are very friendly creatures."

Kaylee stands with Jack as the dolphins come up to her.

"You can pat them if you want."

She pats the dolphins and they roll over.

"I will tell you something. Casper really likes kisses so does Penny. Do you want to give them a kiss?"

She kisses each of their snouts and they do another roll in the water. She turns around and smiles at Derek and Meredith.

"Good work Kaylee. You can have some more time with them in a little while."

She returns back to her seat.

"How about that Kaylee." Meredith says.

"It was so fun mummy."

"Well it looked like you had good fun."

Cooper finally got his turn and didn't know quite what to do. He was quite unsure about these creatures but Derek had a chance at high fiving them and he switched places with Meredith who took Cooper again and he was determined to play with them this time. Meredith sat and kisses the snouts and patted them. She had a huge smile at the time. Cooper also patted them and kissed them.

"Oh good boy." She says to him. He has a sour look on his face and like he is about to cry. "Oh baby it is fine." She says kissing him.

She takes him back and Jack gives each other kids a chance to come and pat them once again before they go back to the deck and he hands them a gift for participating. The four of them headed back to the beach.

"That was so fun mummy. Dolphins are my favourite animal now."

"Well they are quite special aren't they? No other animal can laugh like them."

"Can I get a dolphin?"

"They need salt water to live in. The ocean."

"Oh okay." She says. "Can I get a toy dolphin?"

"Yeah we can settle on that."

They found Amelia, Carolyn and Gwen.

"How was it?" Carolyn asked.

"It was great fun."

"Dolphins are my favourite animal nan."

"Are they just."

"I got to kiss them and they rolled over and they laughed." She says rolling in the sand. "Mummy took photos."

Meredith hands the camera over for them to look at the pictures.

"Oh Mer this one is priceless." Carolyn says. "Derek got a clean shot of him about to burst out crying and the dolphins laughing."

"Yes he almost cried. I think he might not have liked the taste."

"Hey it's okay Coopie dolphin isn't everyone's thing."

They all spent an afternoon at the beach swimming and building sandcastles and keeping Cooper from running too far into the water. They all had dinner together and went back to the kids room and Meredith and Derek helped bathe the kids and get them into bed. They then headed upstairs to their room. She sat on the balcony overlooking the water when Derek came out behind her placing a soft kiss on the back of her neck and sitting beside her.

"What's on your mind?"

"Nothing." She says.

"Come on you have been acting weird all afternoon."

"It's nothing. I am just enjoying the tranquillity."

"Mer seriously I know you too well. Tell me what is wrong."

"Do you see me more than a MILF." She says. "Or a hot piece of arse?"

"No. You are not just a hot piece of arse or a MILF. You are absolutely gorgeous and I love you. Yes you are someone I love sleeping with but I love the other parts not just the sex part and you have a beautiful arse but that's not the point. I love every part of you." He says holding her chin. "Why do you ask?"

"Because these people were talking about me today and how I was a MILF and that they would do me. One of them said that he should jump the shark and ask me out but he knew that I was married. They would fight over me if I wasn't married."

"Mer don't let them get to you. So you're a MILF to them. You are my wife. I married you because I love you and I sleep with you because I love you and you're beautiful and sexy. I am not the type of guy who would risk his relationship to sleep with you."

"Well you did."

"I was allowed to call you one." He says with a smile hoping she took it as a joke. She smiled back. "You were a MILF to me because I wasn't married to you. You were and still are a sexy Mumma that I get to hold and love for the rest of my life."

She kisses him and leans back smiling. "You were a DILF." She tells him.

"Am I still one now?"

"Only if I can be the MILF for the night."

"Hey you can be one but we can just keep that to ourselves."

"Deal." She says kissing him.

They start stripping their clothes from each other.

"The bed?" She asks.

"Or the balcony." He says to her.

She doesn't say another word before they are both naked before each other and holding one another.

**What'd you think. Let me know.**

**As usual please review. Thoughts and comments are most likely welcome.**

**Next is still a follow on at the Island. It's a day at the wildlife park and then some time with Amelia exploring the island.**

**Please read and review.**


	61. A Done Deal

Derek and Meredith had spent 3 days at Hamilton Island. They always started and ended the day with sex and always managed to have a swim at the beach. They spent the in between moments doing numerous activities on the island like sunset kayaking, snorkelling, evening dinner activities and the night before after dinner they attended a couples yoga class which for both Meredith and Derek was a romantic way to connect. Today though was a day with Kaylee, Cooper and Amelia. They agreed on taking the kids for the full day. They agreed on the wildlife park for a tour and giving Kaylee the chance to bottle feed a baby wombat and cuddle a Koala. They then decided to drop the kids in at the day care and take Amelia to do something she wanted.

Derek and Meredith had to be at the park before 11 for their tour. They had a lazy morning with each other like showering and ordering breakfast in. They dressed and packed their bag for the day and Derek went downstairs and hired a stroller for Cooper to sit in while they toured the wildlife park. They went to the room, Carolyn and Gwen had their day sorted which consisted of shopping, golfing and exploring the island with a tour so they soon left and Meredith and Derek spent the morning with Kaylee and Cooper. Meredith fed Cooper while they waited for Amelia to get ready.

"So have you decided what we are going to do for the afternoon?" Derek asks as he plays with Kaylee.

"Well go-karting and then go on the quad bike tour."

"What time does that tour start?"

"3.30."

"So we can have a session of go-karting then go and get ready for the quad bike tour. Is that all you wanted to do?"

"Yeah that's it but I wouldn't mind going on the adrenaline rush sailing around the whole island or the kayaking."

"Kayaking was fun it was at sunset as well so it was very romantic." Meredith says.

"Well let me just say thank you guys for convincing Ma to come here because this place is amazing. I wish that we lived here because it is just amazing."

"Wouldn't you get sick of the sun and not being with your friends?"

"No I wouldn't. I would make new friends and die with leather skin. I could become an instructor here."

"What would you instruct?" Derek says.

"Well I could learn how to be a dolphin handler or a chef."

"Like that would ever happen."

"Shut up Derek."

"Daddy she said a bad word does she get into trouble?"

"She knows better don't you Amy?"

"Yeah I do. Sorry Kay. It just slipped."

"That's okay Amy." Kaylee said. "Can we go yet because I want to hold a snake?"

"You want to hold a snake?" Meredith asks.

"Yes mummy. Amy was reading to me last night the information about the wildlife park and she said that they have meetings with snakes and baby crocodiles which are like alligators but they are different size and shape. Amy told me that. She had to look it up though. It also said that you get to hug a Koala and watch baby wombats get fed."

"Well you will have to see if Amy is almost ready. I almost am. I just have to wait for Cooper."

"Amy are you nearly finished?"

"Yeah Kay. I just have to do my hair and then we can go."

"No one will notice your hair Amy." Derek says.

"Derek let me please say that this island is full of hot Australian's with these bronzed, great looking bodies. They are beautiful here and I don't get boys looking like this back in America so I have to look my best because I could marry a boy here."

"Okay then at least hurry because the tour starts at 11.30 and it takes 20 minutes to get to the park."

"Yeah I'm done."

Meredith let Cooper finish before she sat him up and fixed herself. She stood and placed him in the stroller with his hat on his head. They left the hotel and managed to get the shuttle bus out to the wildlife park. Derek had already bought the tickets and they showed them at the desk and retreated inside to wait for the tour to begin.

"I want to pat a snake mummy." Kaylee says high from Derek's shoulders

"Do you just baby?"

"Yeah I do. I think snakes are kind of awesome." She says. "Can you get pet snakes as pets?"

"No you can't." Derek lies trying to hide the fear that Meredith and him have.

"I wish you could because then I would get one."

"You are an adventure girl aren't you?"

"Yeah well I would want a pet shark if we lived on the beach."

"Well maybe when you are older you can move to the beach and own a shark." Amelia says.

"That is too much work if I become a doctor I won't be able to do that."

"No you won't."

"Will I be able to swim at the beach if I am a doctor?"

"Very rarely."

"Oh okay. I will just go on my days off and on holidays."

Meredith and Derek just smile at each other while rolling their eyes.

"Ma." Cooper says.

"What is it baby boy?" Meredith asks kneeling down next to him in his stroller.

"Iss." He says.

"You want a kiss? Okay." She says kissing him.

"Alk?" He asks.

"No baby you have to stay in the stroller. It's easier on you if you think about it. Save your legs." She says and he just looks at her confused. She kisses his head and stands back up.

"Can we have people taking the wildlife tour to gather around please?" A voice says.

Everyone gathers close to the tour guide.

"Hi guys I'm Adam and I will be showing you around the park. We will tour the park and look at all the different species of native Australian animals and some others." He says. "Who here is brave enough to hold a snake?"

"Me." Kaylee says holding her arm up in the air.

"We have one." He says. "What about a baby crocodile?"

Kaylee's hand goes up again.

"What's your name?" He asks Kaylee?"

"My name is Kaylee."

"Well Kaylee today is your lucky day. We are going to hold snakes and some other creatures today. So if you would like to follow me."

They follow out behind Adam. Meredith pushes Cooper, Derek walks with Kaylee on his shoulders and Amelia walks beside Meredith.

"You can make yourself useful and take photos." Meredith says handing her the camera. Amy sighs. "God you have a hard life. No kids, school, no boyfriend."

"Leave me alone, I'm allowed to be like this."

"Yeah but the happier Amy should shine through." She says. "I like that Amy."

"It will this afternoon."

"Good because I want you enjoying yourself. You got 2 weeks off school to come on our honeymoon. You should be grateful."

"I am. Like I said this morning I could live here. I'm just imagining myself living here."

"Daddy where are the animals?"

"We haven't gotten to them yet."

"Well will we soon?"

"Yes baby."

"Good." She says clapping her hands.

"It would be a nice place to live here. Right on the beach. Have the sand under your feet and the sun on your back instead of mud and rain."

"Seattle is a nice place." Amy says. "I grew up there."

"So did I but this is paradise."

"Yeah it really is. Maybe you and Derek could become doctors on the island."

"We have a family to think about. If we didn't have any kids then maybe we could have but maybe you can."

"I think you could still do both. You are doing both now. It's just your kids will grow up tanned and be surfers."

"Kay could swim with the dolphins and Coopie could play with the animals."

"Yeah exactly."

"I don't know. I will think about it." She says. "It's a life changing experience."

"Yeah I guess it is."

"Okay if you just stop here." Adam says. "If you look out to your right you can see some Koala's sleeping. These animals are pretty lazy. They just sleep and eat all day."

"Just like Cooper." Meredith says to Amelia. She snickers with laughter.

"Can you see them Kay?"

"Yes daddy. Why are they so lazy?"

"That's just the way they are."

"Look it has a baby on its back."

"Yes it does. It is about 4 months old."

"It's sleeping too." Kaylee says.

"Where do you live sweetie?" Adam asks.

"In Seattle."

"Oh this is the first time you are seeing them that's exciting. This is a fact about Koalas. They eat these gum leaves but these are pretty toxic. The koalas have to eat the right amount of leaves because if they eat too many then they will get sick."

"That's like me if I eat too much food." She says making Adam laugh.

"Yes that is what happens to us all."

"Do the koalas get better if they get sick?"

"Sometimes."

"Well my mummy kisses the pain away." Kaylee says. "So does my daddy."

"That is good. I do the same with my kids."

"Do they come and see the Koalas?"

"Yeah they do."

"I wish we had koalas in Seattle daddy."

"Yeah me too baby."

They continued walking down the path. They pass the kangaroos, the wombats, wallabies, snakes, different birds, crocodiles, echidnas, lizards and other wildlife. Kaylee was fascinated by them all and the guide always gave Kaylee facts about each of the animals. When they had gotten around to the snakes Cooper was fast asleep.

"Okay so we are going to head over to the restaurant and bring out some of the animals." Adam says leading them down to the restaurant.

They all take a seat with everyone else and Kaylee sits on Derek's lap waiting for the animals to be brought out. Half a dozen park members came out with animals. A snake, a baby crocodile and a baby wombat were the three animals.

"If anyone wants to come up and pat the baby crocodile you should come up now."

"Go on Kaylee." Derek says setting her on the ground.

Kaylee toddles up and starts patting the crocodile. "It's really bumpy."

"They are its scales. It is quite weird isn't it?"

Kaylee nods with a smile and turns around to sit down.

"Before you all sit down can we have some volunteers to help hold the snake?"

Kaylee looks at her family for approval and they all nod their heads. She goes up to them and they have 3 kids stand side by side with the around their necks and Kaylee holds the tail of the snake.

"Look at her not scared of anything." Meredith says as she takes pictures of Kaylee.

Kaylee was giggling away and the instructor turned around and smiled at her. "What's so funny?"

"It's tickling me." She says.

"You are a happy girl." The instructor says. "What is your name?"

"Kaylee Shepherd. I am 4 years old."

"Where do you live?"

"In Seattle with my mummy, daddy and baby brother Coopie. All my cousins and aunties and uncles live there along with my Poppy Richard and Nana."

"Is that your family over there?" She asks pointing to Derek, Meredith, Amy and Cooper.

"Yes and that is my Aunty Amy. She came over with us."

"Well you travelled a long way. I only live 5 minutes away."

"Do you live in the park?"

"Close to it. Just outside."

"Wow then you could have lots of pets."

"Yes and I do." She says to her. "Lot's to play with but you do have to be careful. Especially some of the snakes you can get around here."

"But some snakes aren't dangerous."

"That is right especially this python here but we do get some big scary ones."

"Can I put this one down now?"

"Yeah sure. It gets quite heavy this snake." She says to her. The snake is taken off the kids and taken back to his enclosure.

They then sit down and watch a baby wombat get bottle fed. After the feeding they grabbed something quick to eat before going back to the hotel to drop Kaylee and Cooper off at the clownfish day care.

They grabbed the gear for the afternoon and got the shuttle bus out to the Palm Valley Activities area. They booked in for go-karting and were racing with another few people.

"Oh I had the double buggy last time with a baby. It's on today Derek."

"Oh you think that you will win but you won't. I'm the natural here."

"Up yourself much." Amy says.

Meredith and Derek just laugh and sit in their karts as the guy gets their karts started and they take off. Amelia first, followed by Meredith then Derek.

The whole race around the track was a competition between the three of them. Derek and Meredith overtook Amelia and their karts were right next to each other. Derek was mucking around with Mer and turned slightly into her and caused the two of the karts to spin out off the track.

"Good one Derek." She says.

"Hey it wasn't my fault you couldn't control the corner." He says as he goes to kiss her. She stays back but leans in as Amelia goes passed them.

They are helped back onto the track and take off again. Racing on another. Derek ended up the winner but only because he caused Amelia and Meredith to go off the track. They took their helmets off and left the tracks.

"That was unfair Derek. You can't do that."

"Hey it's called playing the game." He says as he wraps his arms around the two of them. "It's life."

"Yeah well life should go and kick itself in the arse." Amy says. "It's like you are some kind of god with a big ego."

"It's ever since he became a doctor he has had the biggest god complex."

"Hey you shouldn't complain. It makes our nights a whole lot interesting."

"Ewe." Amy says moving stepping out for his arm. "I don't need to know what my brother and my sister in law do."

"Hey we can tell you if you really want to know. Tell you how everything works and the best way to do these things."

"Hey I don't need to know because I already know."

"You are what 15." Derek says.

"16."

Well you are 16 and you already know. How?" Derek says. "No don't answer that."

"Well its called school, internet, friends and it is also called doing the deed yourself."

"I don't need to know about my baby sister and her virginity."

"Hey you asked if I wanted to know. I just wanted to clarify what I knew."

"Who was the guy?" Meredith asks.

"Hayden Prescott, he is in Jackson's year. Nice body, nice eyes, sweetest guy but he can be a jerk."

"Was it how you expected it to be?"

"Not really. I don't see what the fuss is."

"That means you didn't enjoy it. Wait until you get older and that's when the good stuff starts happening." Meredith says. "But for me it has been Derek the whole else just doesn't get you. Derek does. He knows my weaknesses." She says smiling at him.

"Yeah well the good is still to come. I'm still trialling this."

"Exactly." Meredith says. "It's all trial and error. Before you know it you will find someone and it will just fit perfectly."

"Well let me say that some of these Aussie guys are hotter than Hayden."

"Yeah the ones that come south usually are." Meredith says.

"Hey." Derek says.

"But I found you and I will never let you go."

He just smiles at her before kissing her.

They arrive at their quad bike tour and get suited up in the motorbike gear. They lock their bags in a locker but lend Derek a bag to put anything in. They explain what the rules are, the protocols to follow if something does happen and to just have fun.

Their group consist of 7 people including the instructor. He leads the group and Amy follows him. Meredith goes before Derek so he can watch her and be her knight in shining whatever if anything were to happen.

They toured the track for 40 minutes to a lookout and a break. It was a view of the whole island.

"This is the highest part of the island. If a tsunami happened this is the place to go."

"It's so pretty up here." Meredith says to Derek.

"Best view all honeymoon."

"Not really. The sunset on Tuesday was amazing."

"Yeah that was true." He says wrapping his arms around her and kissing her cheek.

"I still don't know how you only have 2 kids. I would expect there to be another kid on the way."

"We are particularly a condom ad." He says.

"We don't go a night without them but I am on the pill so its protecting us if we forget."

"The pill isn't always effective."

"How do you know that?"

"Sex ed. See I do pay attention."

The two of them just share a smile. "We promise that you will be the first to know when we are having another baby."

"Really? You would tell me first."

"Yes we would. So don't mock us because we will make you the last person."

"Oh I vow to never mock you two again."

"Thanks Amy."

"Okay if you all want to put her helmets back on and we can go to another view."

The helmets came on the heads and they followed the instructor down through the track. Derek was in the middle and looked behind at the others and at that moment saw one of them loose control and fall off the bike. He immediately stopped his bike and yelled for Meredith to let the others know. He came over to the fallen rider.

"I'm Derek. I am a doctor. Can you tell me where it hurts?" He asks as the instructor comes running over.

"My back and my arm."

"Okay." He says. "Do we move the bike off her?"

"Yes. Two of you do that."

Derek and another person remove the bike from the girl and Derek comes to lend a hand.

"I am a doctor so I can help."

"Okay Derek. I am calling for some assistance and they will come with a board and take her to the medical centre. You can access her arm and give her the whistle to blow on."

Derek does what he is told and looks at the arm it is fractured from the feeling.

They wait 20 minutes and the medical crew are there. They stabilise her neck and get her on the board and head off again. Another instructor came along with the medical crew to take the other quad back. The group head back to the centre and turn off their bikes and undress and hand back the suits and collected their gear back.

"Do you think she will be alright?" Amy says.

"Yeah she should be. It was protocol to take her to the hospital. Especially since her back was hurting. She just said her back so it could have been anything."

"That is good." Amy says.

"What is the time?" Meredith asks?"

"It is 5.30." Derek tells her.

"So we get the kids and go and get dinner."

"Yeah sounds good."

They collect the two kids and head to dinner meeting up with Carolyn and Gwen who spent a day playing golf, shopping and a class at the aqua aerobics.

Dinner was finished soon and everyone decided that they would skip the activities on the island tonight and head off to bed. Meredith fed Cooper and put him to bed and then came upstairs to her room. The lights were dimmed and she walked into the bathroom. Derek had filled the bath up for her and filled into with rose petals. He had a bottle of champagne beside the bath as well. She just stood there smiling and felt arms come up to her shoulders and start massaging them. He kissed the back of her neck and she fell into his chest and looked up at him and he came down and kissed her lips.

"Get in, relax." He says.

"I'm only getting in with you." She says turning to face him.

He strips her clothes off and she strips him clothes off before they both get into the tub and she relaxes up against his chest.

"Tomorrow is our kid free day." Meredith says as Derek kisses her neck. "We should do the day spa thing for the whole day. The spas and the couples massages and we should do the couples yoga again because that was amazing." She says with her eyes closed soaking in what Derek was doing to her.

"If you want. It's your pick for tomorrow and it is also your pick in what we do tonight. Anything you want."

"Anything?"

"Yes anything."

"Well let me think about it for a little while. We only just got in here so let's enjoy the wetness of each other's bodies."

"God you are a devilish woman." He says. "But in a good way. You are an angel during the day but when that sexual being comes out you are a devil and I like the devil in you. I also like the angel inside you."

"Hey I can be more than a devil and an angel. I can be anything you want me to be especially tonight."

"You are an amazing woman. I could not imagine my life without you."

"I know and you always tell me. I'm not going anywhere and you better not go anywhere as well."

"Hey I will go wherever you will go." He says. "And I keep that promise. You can shoot me in the leg if I don't follow you."

"If I shoot you then you will have a pretty hard time following me."

"You get what I mean. Instead of shooting me you can have control in the bedroom every single night for 3 months."

"That is something I would do." She says with a smile. "I get to be on top." She says laughing. "I'll do everything that makes you hot and the things that make you squirm." She says. "I'm looking forward to this."

"Oh I bet you are." He says sarcastically.

"Well I will make a deal as well if I don't go wherever you go you can be in control."

"And do everything that makes you hot and scream." He whispers in her ear.

"It's a deal." She says after biting her lip.

"A done deal."

**Okay I apologise sincerely for the very late updates. I have just not been able to find the time to update. I probably should start banking them as an easier option. **

**Anyway I have been working on other stories I have started. Don't know when I will finish them. (Year 11 is a killer) I have moods when I prefer not to add to one story but to the other. Or I have a writers block, especially with this story, I have though written another 30 odd chapters so I should not be short on chapters if anything does happen. I just need to find some time and I will be updating and writing a lot more.**

**Anyway hopefully you enjoyed and please review. **


	62. I'm So Glad I Married You

The next morning Meredith dropped off bottles of milk for Carolyn and Derek and her had breakfast and then headed to the spas.

"You aren't going to go into early labour are you?" Derek asks as a joke.

"If I was pregnant then yeah maybe. After last night I think I would have put myself into early labour."

"You do know how to take control."

"Hey I'm practicing for when I'm in control for 3 months."

"Oh well you better step up your game." He says kissing her. She just smiles at him nodding her head as they reach the reception. "Hi we had an all-day booking under Shepherd."

"For the two of you, yep just take a seat and someone will be out shortly."

They took a seat and looked out the windows at the beach. It was an overcast day today but there were still people at the beach surfer, snorkelling and out with their boats. They had no idea what the other part of the family was getting up to today. They hadn't worked it out.

"Derek and Meredith Shepherd."

They stand and hold hands walking towards the specialist and she leads them out the back.

"You have booked in for the full day?"

"Yes the couple's massages and then the spas."

"Okay we are going to do the deep relaxation massages first that will be for 2 hours and then you will take a break and go into the mud spa for 90 minutes. After those 90 minutes you will go into the normal spas for an hour and just relax. You can sit with each other and drink champagne and eat strawberries, then you can make use of the sauna and your session should be up."

"Sounds great."

"I will just take you to the change rooms where you can change and come on through to the tables where our masseur and masseuse will be waiting to begin your massages."

"Thank you." Meredith says.

She leads them to the change room.

"The robes are there and just make your way through those doors to the room."

She left the room and they grabbed a robe. Meredith went in one change room and Derek turned to go in another but snuck up behind her and pulled her hair out from her ponytail. She turned around face him.

"Derek what are you doing?"

"Getting undressed. What about you."

"There's no room in here."

"We make room. Remember the plane trip we made room there."

"God you make everything seem so dirty." She says. "We are not having sex in here." She says in a whisper.

"I wasn't going to have sex with you. I was going to help you undress."

"You make everything seem so sexy and god it turns me on." She says leaning up to kiss him.

He crashes his lips down onto hers and guides her up to the wall. He pulls her top off over her head and she pulls his top off. His hands come to her pants and with one motion he pulls both her pants and underwear with them. Her bra then follows the rest of the discarded clothing.

"God you better not be turned on when we go out there."

"You will have to help with that." He says kissing her neck. "Because you already started it."

She undoes his pants and pulls them down before he lifts her up and she wraps her legs around his waist. He guides her on to him and they start their sex.

"Are you two nearly ready?"

Meredith covers Derek's mouth. "Yeah we just had to make a phone call to my mother in law. We should be out in 5 minutes."

"Okay come out whenever you are ready." The voice said and the door to the room closed.

Meredith and Derek both smiled and giggled at each other and at how inappropriate the sex was and where it was at they continued and were caught off guard when the door opened again.

"So just use the change rooms and then go through the doors to the spa." The voice said.

"Shit." Meredith cursed quietly.

"Mer don't move." Derek said quietly. Meredith goes to move. "Don't move." He pleads. "I'm almost done."

"Okay well hurry." She whispers in his ear before she starts kissing him.

She can feel him inside her and his moaning into her mouth. They stay there for a few moments waiting before they pull apart and gather their clothes up and wrap robes around their bodies. The clothes are packed into Meredith's handbag and they leave the change room and run into an older lady. She smiles at them.

"Hi." Meredith says to her. Before her and Derek leave the changing rooms to go to massage room. They had to hold their laugh as they left the change room. They met their masseuses and lay on the tables. The music soon started and the incenses were burning.

2 hours went by and Meredith felt like she had spent 6 hours there. Her whole body was relaxed and the tension in her shoulders was gone. Even though Derek had the special way of getting rid of that tension it was soon gone.

Derek's whole body was relaxed and the stress felt as if it had disappeared. The past week from doing exams and waiting to know if he passed was overwhelming but the stress always disappeared when he was with Meredith even If they weren't sleeping with each other she cured the stress that he faced but because he passes his exams he was starting to relax more and more.

They had hot rocks placed on their backs. They had their bodies rubbed down. It was a perfect thing to do.

They pulled their robes over their bodies and sat up on the table.

"Thank you for that. It was great." Meredith said.

"It is just one of the ways to release tension." Meredith's masseuse said with a knowing smile.

"Yeah well she rids my stress no matter what." Derek says.

"Tell me a bit about your life."

"We live in Seattle. Both 22 years old. Married for 15 months. Have a four year old daughter and a son who is about to turn 1." Meredith says.

"I am about to become a 2nd year resident and Mer here is starting her internship. We are here on our honeymoon but we couldn't go 2 weeks without our kids so they are with my mum, aunty and great aunty."

"You two are young parents?"

"Yeah we are. We wouldn't change it for the world."

"We wouldn't either. We get where you are coming from. Us two are married and we have a 6 year old son, a 4 year old daughter and twin 2 year olds, a boy and a girl. We had our son when we were 17 so we know how life can be busy."

"Yeah we couldn't imagine our lives without our kids. It makes our life fun and exciting because you have that sole responsibility to watch them and have them grow up healthy."

"Exactly." The girl says. "Anyway the two of you are free to go change into your swimmers for the mud pool."

"Thank you so much for this."

"No worries. Enjoy the rest of your honeymoon."

Derek and Meredith entered the change room again.

"No silly business okay. We are straight in straight out." Meredith says.

"Okay well in all that mud they won't know what is going on."

"Derek."

"What I know you want to."

"Yeah maybe but we need to be respectful."

"If there is no one in there then will you think about it?"

"Yes I will."

The two changed without any interruptions and headed to the mud spas for their 90 minute session.

There mud spas were separate but close to one another. They held hands throughout the whole session and talked about random things. Derek made an effort of jumping out of his and jumping into Meredith's. He climbed on top her and started kissing her.

"Derek we aren't doing it in here because I'm going to get mud in places I don't want to get mud in."

"Just fool around with me." He says kissing her.

"We are supposed to be relaxing not fooling around with each other in a public place."

"Oh come on. No one will see what we are doing. It is pretty secretive."

"But what I want you to do you can't do. It's quite impossible with all the mud."

"Oh okay then. I get you."

"Save it for the sauna."

"Hey I can do other things in here." He says sitting beside her. She feels his hand go down her body and to her bikini bottoms and his hand go down and his fingers push inside her.

"Oh my god." She says.

"Just play along with it." He says. Her hand guided him to where she wanted him. "I think we should just make this a weekly thing but we just give massages to each other for free."

"I've been doing that for 8 years Derek." She says throwing her head back.

"I know you have." He says as he leans in and kisses her neck throwing her into overdrive and causing her to break.

"When we are alone you are going to get the best loving that you have ever had."

"God it's a pity that we weren't trying for a baby because I'm pretty sure that we would have already conceived on the way we are going."

"I have to admit I'm surprised that we don't have any other kids. We do go at it like rabbits."

"I know we do but we are careful which is good."

After the mud spa they headed to the spas to clean off and the mud and to relax again for 20 minutes. Derek didn't try anything this time considering the openness and because they were sharing the spa with someone else. Derek finished in the spa first and headed to sauna. Meredith waited 10 minutes and headed to the sauna. She opened the door and checked that no one else was joining them. She shut the door and jumped straight on him and started kissing him.

She went down to his shorts and undone them and pulled them down his legs. She came up to him and took him in her mouth.

"Oh god Mer."

He pulled her up to him switched it around so she was sitting. He kissed down from her lips all the way to her bikini bottoms. He pulled the bottoms off with his teeth and threw them before kissing up her thighs.

"Is this were you wanted me to go?" He asked.

She nodded her head as he dragged his tongue along and stuck it in. Her hands roamed through his hair and he stuck a finger in as well.

"Derek." She moans.

He starts kissing up her body; along her stomach, over her chest and takes her bikini top off. Then up to her lips and kisses her again.

She can taste the salt on his tongue and she moves so she is on top of him again. His hands go to her hips and she is guided on him again. This time it is more passionate then before in the change room when it was fast and quick. This time it was slower and they had the chance to admire each other and take in the beauty. It lasted longer this time considering that no one interrupted them. She sat on him still, their sweaty bodies connected and their breathing was pitched and their hearts were racing. Derek's head rested by her heart and he could hear her heart beating. She kissed his nose and he left a kiss where her heart was beating.

He helped her off and she sat beside him.

"I think we should maybe get dressed."

"Yeah that sounds like a bright idea." He says. He gets up and picks up their discarded clothes and dress.

"You ready to go now?" He asks with a kiss on her cheek.

"Yeah I am."

The two hold hands as they leave the sauna and go to the change rooms and change into theirs clothes before paying then leaving.

"What time is it?" She asks checking his watch. "Just after 3. Yoga is at 5 isn't it?"

"Yes it is."

"Okay so do you want to get some lunch and sit on the beach?"

"Of course I would my lady."

Meredith took her phone out from her bag and turned it on. I have 5 missed calls."

"Who from?"

"Cristina, Carolyn, Richard, Richard and Jackson."

"Don't tell me that they called all today?"

"Yes since we were in the day spa."

"You should maybe try calling them back?"

"What time is it back home?"

"It will be about 10 pm. Try them."

"I will call Jackson first." She waited for Jackson to pick up but he didn't. "I'll call Richard then." She waits this time and Richard answers.

"_Hi Mer."_

"Richard, Hi. What's up?"

"_Sorry for calling you earlier."_

"We were in the day spa and I had my phone off."

"_I have some news about one of your friends?"_

"Which one?"

"_Alex. His apartment caught on fire. They think it was an electrical fault."_

"Is he okay?"

"_He is fine. He wasn't home which was great."_

"That really is great news. Send him my wishes."

"_I will. Have a good last few days away."_

"We will." She says hanging up. "Alex's apartment caught on fire."

"What. Is he okay?"

"He is fine. They think it was an electrical fault but he wasn't home. Which is a good thing."

"That is good."

"I better try Cristina." She says and dials Cristina. She picks up immediately.

"_Where have you been? We have been trying to get into contact with you."_

"I was in a day spa for 5 hours. Do you expect me to have my phone on 24/7?"

"_Yes. Your friend's apartment catches alight and you're too busy getting rubbed to answer your phone."_

"I know about Alex. I already called Richard. I'm also on my honeymoon Cris. I am in a time zone almost 24 hours in front of you. It's hard to call and know what is going on."

"_Yeah whatever. I will see you for your son's birthday party."_

"Bye Cristina. Don't forget about his party either."

"_Yeah I won't."_

Meredith hangs up and looks at Derek.

"Don't ask." She says with a smile and then dials Carolyn.

"_Mer, thank god. Everyone has been trying to get in contact with you."_

"Yeah I know. What's wrong?"

"_Alex's apartment caught on fire."_

"Yeah I know. Richard and Cristina have told me."

"_Oh okay. Well that's all I needed you for. We will see you tonight."_

"Yeah we will be by soon." She says. "Bye."

She hangs up and bags her phone.

"Everyone was calling all for the same reason."

…

After spending some time on the beach they headed to the couples yoga. They changed into their yoga clothes and went and began the class. When they took the class the other day they loved it and wanted to do another session and this time they were the only people there.

It was a great way to finish the day and reunite again. This session was different to the last so they experienced different moves and styles. They finished the class and said goodbye to the instructors and went and picked dinner up before heading to Carolyn's room. Carolyn and Gwen were going out tonight so Meredith and Derek were watching the kids. Amy was more than capable but it was only until they fell asleep.

"What did you do today Kaylee?" Derek asks her as she sits on his lap.

"We went to the beach again and then went shopping."

"Did you swim at the beach?"

"Yeah I did. Amy took me in the water and we were jumping waves."

"Did you buy anything shopping?"

"Gwen bought me some books and nanna bought me a dolphin toy."

"Did you thank them?"

"Yes I did."

"That is good baby." Meredith says. She checks the time and sees that Kaylee is starting to fall asleep. "How about bath time for you?"

"I don't really want a bath mummy. Can I have a shower?"

"By yourself?"

"No with you."

"Yeah I suppose." She replies. "Come on then we can bathe Cooper as well."

"I will help you Mer."

Meredith takes her into the shower along with Cooper and Derek and starts the water. She and Derek undress and get Kaylee and Cooper undressed and gets the kids under the water. She washes Kaylee's hair and rinses it before getting her out of the shower and wraps her in a towel and gets her out to Amelia and Derek holds Cooper while Meredith rubs his body with baby wash and Derek rinses him down.

Derek passes Cooper to Meredith and she wraps him in a towel and sends him outside to Amelia to dress. Derek stays under the water for a little while longer.

"Hey you can join me." He says.

She walks over to him and drops her towel before she climbs in with him to shower the salt from their bodies. Derek climbs out first and dries down while Meredith stays in the shower longer. She climbs out of the shower and he hands her his towel.

"Thanks." She says with a smile. "I'm still going to shower properly tonight. I need to wash my hair."

"Yeah me too. We can make a shower date."

"You are so dirty but yes I would love to have one."

They dress and leave the bathroom. They read Kaylee her bedtime story and tuck her in before Meredith starts feeding Cooper and gets him in bed.

"Will you be alright with them Amy?"

"Yes. I have bottles of milk to feed Cooper with and I just nurse him while giving him his bottle."

"Yes and pat his back and if he is asleep but still trying to drink from the bottle put his pacifier in his mouth and lay him down in his cot and rub his stomach." Meredith says.

"Okay."

"And Kaylee."

"She is perfectly easy to get back to sleep. I just hold her and sing to her."

They both nodded their heads and kissed Amelia goodbye and went to their room.

"I need to wash our swimmers." She says.

"Just rinse them under the cold water and let them hang over the bath to dry."

"I knew I kept you for a reason." She says. "Hey tomorrow do you just want a day in bed?"

"Yeah sure. A day in bed with each other."

"I need a break. I'm exhausted from all the activities we do during the day but especially after today. I never imagined having sex with someone in the change rooms in a day spa."

"It was fun I have to admit."

"Yeah it really was." She says. "Very adventurous but you were doing some stuff out in the open."

"No one was around so it was good. Very public place."

"Do you think that we should have gone on a honeymoon with just the two of us?"

"Maybe but we are mixing it up. I am missing the kids throughout the day while we are doing our own stuff." Derek admits.

"Yeah me too. I'm glad we are going home on the plane with them even though we could have had our own fun it will be good to have them with us."

"I'm so glad I married you." He says.

"Me too."

**Let me know what you thought. I had to have Meredith and Derek get down and dirty while trying to relax.**

**Anyway I will update tomorrow or the next day. I have a lot to share with you all. So please leave a review and an update shall be up soon.**


	63. I Promise To Make An Effort

The 9 days on the island had passed. It was time for Meredith and Derek to go home with Carolyn, Gwen, Amelia, Kaylee and Cooper.

Meredith and Derek had had the best 9 days and it felt even better because they had the kids with them. They had done so many things that they would not forget their honeymoon. Last night they went on a sunset cruise as a way to wind down and finish the trip.

Kaylee admitted that she had so much fun and that she would want to come back to visit the dolphins. Cooper was just too young to understand what happened but he loved being at the water and by the beachside.

Carolyn was glad she got to be with her sister again and Amelia had a time to think and see what she really wanted considering before she was unsure about what she wanted to do in the future. Meredith thought that she was still upset because of what happened to Michael 5 years ago and that those feelings were blocking her dreams for the future. She seemed much more relaxed she seemed more like a teenage girl should be like.

The plane from the island to Brisbane was leaving at 12. They decided that they would fly to Brisbane and spend the day in Brisbane before going back to the motel and flying out the next afternoon.

Derek and Meredith checked their alarm and saw that it was 9.30. They didn't get back to the room until 3 that morning and had sex before they fell asleep without packing all their gear.

"God why didn't we do this yesterday." Meredith says quickly folding clothes into her bag.

"I know but instead we had to have sex on the balcony." He says.

"Hey this is your fault. We have to check out in 30 minutes and be at the airport by 11. We still haven't had breakfast."

"Hey I can give you breakfast."

"None of that dirty talk."

"Okay then." He says finishing packing.

They change their clothes and pack them before collecting their toiletries and brushing their teeth and packing the last of their things.

"Derek I can't zip the bag up." She says.

"Okay. You sit on the bag and I will zip it up."

She giggles as he lifts her on her bag and he zips it up.

"Thank you."

"No worries." He says kissing her. "Check to make sure we have everything."

She does a quick search of the suite and finds that they have everything.

"Do you have the camera?"

"It is in the camera bag in the cupboard." She says going into the cupboard to pull out the camera bag. "Glad we didn't leave this because we would have lost my camera and your laptop."

"What about the plane tickets?"

"Passports and tickets are all in my handbag."

They take one final look around the room then look at each other.

"We're going home." She says.

"We are going home." He says leaning down and kissing her. Pushing the hair away from her face.

They grab their bags and leave the room and go down to check out.

"Finally. I thought I was going to have to send a search party."

"Sorry we slept in."

"Yeah we figured."

"Morning mummy." Kaylee says.

"Hey baby girl. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes I did."

"That is good."

"Did you enjoy your cruise?"

"Yes we did." Derek says to her.

"You are beautiful Kaylee." Meredith says to her.

"So are you mummy."

"We haven't had breakfast yet so we are just going to pop down to the café and get something to eat." Derek says.

"Okay. We will meet you back here."

"Can I come for a walk?" Kaylee asks.

"Sure sweetie. Coopie can come as well." Meredith say taking Cooper into her arms.

They leave the hotel and down the street. Cooper was squirming in Meredith's arms so she let him walk beside her and she held his hand.

"What is the date today?"

"It is the 28th of June."

"What date will it be when we get home to Seattle?"

"The 29th. We are staying in Brisbane for the night and have an early flight to catch in the morning and it will be the 29th."

"It's so confusing."

"Yeah it is. I'm confused at what time it is and the day."

"Mummy what are we going to do in Brisbane?"

"We might go shopping or just relax."

"Yeah we should relax because it has been a long week."

"It sure has."

They found the bakery and order coffee and chose muffins.

"Mummy can I have something?"

"Sure baby."

"A cookie please."

"A cookie, which one?"

"The smartie one."

"Okay." She says. "Can I get this cookie as well oh and some banana bread for the little man. He likes his banana bread don't you Coopie?" He just smiles from Derek's arms.

Meredith pays and they wait for their coffees.

"Dada." Cooper says. As Derek looks down Cooper smiles at him.

"Oh that is so cute." The waitress says.

"Yeah he is a little cutie."

"How old is he?"

"He will be one in 2 days. We are flying to Brisbane today and then flying to Seattle tomorrow morning to be home the day before his birthday."

"You are from America?"

"Yeah we are."

"I have always wanted to go to Seattle."

"Yeah it is great there. The weather can be crappy but if you have family and friends then it is good."

"Well here are your coffees and enjoy your last couple of days in Australia."

"We will." Meredith says grabbing the coffees from her.

Derek has Cooper in his arms and Meredith is holding Kaylee's hand as they head back to the hotel.

The shuttle bus arrives as well to take them to the airport. They load their bags on the bus and climb aboard.

"Mummy can I have my cookie?"

"Sure baby." She says reaching into her bag to pull out the cookie.

"Thank you mummy." She says.

"Do you guys have your plane tickets?" Gwen asks.

"Yes I do, they are in my bag."

"Oh I will give you the kid's passports." Carolyn says reaching into her bag and takes out Kaylee and Cooper's passport.

"Thank you."

The shuttle bus arrived at the airport and they climbed off the bus and collected their bags.

"Hey Ma where is the baby carrier?"

"Oh it is in his suitcase." She says opening it up and handing it to Meredith.

"Do you want to carry him or me?" She asks.

"I don't mind."

"I'll carry him." She says as she puts it on and Derek puts him inside it. "I would say that that is the best baby thing we have bought. We have gotten our money's worth."

"I know but we do have 3 of them."

"Hey they are just for his age. You get the ones for the different occasions and the different reasons. This one is suited for babies this age."

"Well let me know if he is getting too heavy."

"Okay." She says.

They head into the airport and check in for their flight and proceed through to the waiting area. Derek fed Cooper the banana bread and Kaylee sat on Amelia's lap colouring.

"_Flight to Brisbane is now boarding."_

The 7 of them headed to the gate along with other people and their tickets were checked and they boarded the plane. Kaylee was in between Meredith and Derek for the short trip. Cooper sat in his carrier.

"I'm going to feed him when we take off and get him to sleep."

"Okay." Derek says. "Put your seat belt on Kaylee." He says clipping it around her waist. "You have to put that down for 10 minute. You can read it when we are in the air."

She puts it down and sits there.

"Derek give her these when we take off." Carolyn says handing him a bag of lollies.

"Here you go sweetie."

She takes a lolly and starts eating it while the pilot introduces the flight and they finally take off. When they are in the air Derek gives Kaylee her book and Meredith takes Cooper out of the carrier and starts feeding him.

"So no funny business on the trip to Seattle?" Derek asks.

"Maybe not babe."

"That's okay."

"You had a months' worth in 11 days."

"That is quite true." He says with a smile and starts reminiscing the past 11 days they had with each other. "I'm going to look at the pictures?"

"Which ones?" She asks with a serious look.

"The ones that were taken with the family not the others."

"Okay then. That one is hiding forever and ever. You hear me?"

"Yeah I do. It will go in a box and we can look at them when we are old and senile."

Meredith just laughs as he takes the camera out of the bag.

"Can I look daddy?"

"I will hook them up to the computer and you can look there."

"Okay."

Derek starts the computer and checks that he has the right memory card.

"The family ones are on the 16G memory card and the others are on the 8G."

"Well I almost showed her the ones that she shouldn't see." Derek says with a smile.

"Oh god." She says.

He switches memory cards over and hooks it up to his laptop. He imports the images and goes through them all with Kaylee. They had nearly taken up all the 16G of memory on the memory card.

"We took a lot of photos Mer."

"We didn't, did we?"

"Yeah."

"There still has to be the images from before like Christmas and things like that."

"No there isn't. Remember you deleted them."

"Oh I did to." She says. "Well we have the memories from the holidays and some really good family photos."

"I think we should get a lot of them printed."

"Well we can. I want some pictures for my locker." Meredith says.

"Yeah I need some for my cubby."

"Screw you and your cubby." Meredith says with a smile.

She finally got Cooper asleep and got him in the carrier. Derek turned off the computer and packed it away.

"We can look at the rest later." He says.

"You are going to get me into trouble one day." Meredith says and he just laughs. "It's not even funny. I am going to get into all this trouble and have to be accessed to see if I am fit to parent instead of doing other things." He just keeps laughing at her. "You are going to pay for this."

"What are you going to do to me?"

"You just wait and see."

"Oh I'm so scared."

"What so we go on a honeymoon and you tease me."

"Hey I know you like the teasing."

"Well I know what you like and I'm not giving it to you. My pants are staying on."

"You do realise that I have my ways."

"Yeah I know you do but I know how to distract myself."

"With what?"

"Celibacy."

"You can't be kidding. You're going to go all banning S-E-X on me?"

"Yeah I am. I'm going to take up knitting."

"I bet you look sexy knitting."

"Derek seriously." Meredith says.

"Oh sorry, where you joking?" He says with a smile.

"I could kill you sometimes."

"Mummy do you really want to kill daddy?"

"No it's just an expression that I can use on him because he is quite difficult sometimes."

"Yeah he is." Kaylee says.

"Hey this isn't fair. My favourite girls picking on me."

"Well you were picking on me." Meredith says.

"Yeah daddy, it is only fair."

"Fine it is."

The rest of the trip was spent giggling and laughing between the three of them.

They touched down in Brisbane and the weather had changed slightly. It was about 15 degrees Celsius and was raining. They had to get from the airport to their motel in the rain.

"In our plan I didn't think it would be wet when we touched down." Meredith says.

"I know. The hotel is only down the street and it is difficult to get over to there."

"We should just call a maxi taxi to take us over the road. It is a fair walk and Kaylee is quite sleepy." Carolyn says.

"Okay we will get one." Derek says.

He calls down a maxi taxi and they put their bags in the back and he drives them over to the motel. Derek pays him and they go and check in at the motel. They find their rooms. Derek, Meredith and the kids in one and Carolyn, Gwen and Amelia in the other.

They laid Kaylee down on her bed for a nap and Derek took Cooper from the carrier and laid him down on the bed to sleep. The rain was pouring outside so Derek sat on the lounge with Meredith. She moved to the end and laid her feet over his lap and he started massaging them.

"Back home tomorrow." He says.

"Yeah home tomorrow." She says. "Did you have fun?"

"Yeah I did. It was great fun. I know that some people will not think that it was a honeymoon but it was good having family there because you broke things up."

"Well if the kids didn't come I'm pretty sure we would have locked ourselves in the hotel room and just had sex all day and didn't explore the island and do things like scuba diving."

"It would have been fun having sex all day but I think this way was great."

"A new family holiday destination?"

"It could be a possibility but we still have to start our memories at Bubble Bay."

"Well they have the dolphins there don't they?"

"Yes they do." He says.

"I want to come back though."

"Well Bubble Bay can be our cheap holiday. We will have time off work and come back to Australia for a few weeks and we can explore the country, go to their theme parks."

"At least not until Cooper is older. It was quite difficult to watch him here."

"Yeah well he isn't even one yet and he is walking, what do you expect. He likes to do things on his own."

"He was so cute at the beach though. Running to the water then turning around when the waves rolled in and then with Amelia how he would make her take him all the way out in the water then want to come back to the sand because he didn't like that idea."

"Our kids are fun. They make my life happier."

"We'll have a couple more and then our lives will be even more happier." She says coming to sit on his lap.

"Hopefully with different personalities and traits. I would like to experience different in my life."

"Hey we do have different in our lives. We have 2 kids. Our school friends don't even have any kids. We are married and none of them are even thinking about marriage. They just want to party all night and hook up with strangers. We are different to them."

"I guess we are." He says. "I love you so much."

"Me too. I'm glad I am experience my life with you."

"I know. It's been great so far." He says. "Well the last 18 months have been anyway."

"I know what you mean and the first few months after Kay was born." She says smiling at him.

"Are you tired?" He asks her.

"Yeah a little bit."

He lays down behind her and wraps his arm around her waist and pulls her close to him. "Well we can sleep, like the kids."

"But Coopie will be up soon."

"Well 5 minutes is better than no sleep. So close your eyes and rest."

She closes her eyes. "I can't believe Coopie is 1 in two days." She says yawning.

"I know. We are going to have to go and get him his present."

"We can sneak out tomorrow. I don't know what to get him."

"We can think about that later." He says.

…

Later that afternoon they changed the kids and held them as they went to a restaurant down the road. Carolyn, Gwen and Amelia had met them and they all walked together. The rain had also stopped and the skies cleared to produce a nice sunset.

They were seated and Derek got a highchair for Cooper and Meredith tried to put him in there but he let out a screech and started crying and fighting against the chair.

"Cooper you have to sit in here." Meredith says to him.

"No." He cries.

Derek grabs his legs and helps Meredith sit him in the chair. He continues crying and others around them start looking at them and they both sit down hoping he stops crying.

"Mummy can you stop him crying?"

"Sorry Kay, he is having a tantrum."

"Okay." She sighs.

"I'll take him outside." Derek says standing and taking him from the chair.

His crying is toned down but he continues his sniffles and cries. Derek carries him outside and holds him over his shoulder.

"Hey baby settle." He says patting his back. "You like the high chair."

He sniffles loudly and then hiccups.

"We're going home soon baby so it won't be long before you get to be in your bed and seeing everyone else. You'll also be 1. So you have to be a good boy so you get your birthday presents." He says to him.

Cooper seemed to calm and moved away from Derek's shoulder so he could look at his daddy.

"Dada."

"Yeah baby?"

He just buries his head in Derek's neck and blows a raspberry.

"Cooper you are a silly baby." Derek says with a laugh.

"Hey is he alright now?" Meredith asked coming outside.

"Yeah he is. Don't know why he started crying."

"I guess he just misses us. We have barely been with him for over a week."

"I guess."

"Hey baby boy, you feeling better?" Meredith asks placing her hand on his back and kissing his cheek.

He turns to face Meredith with a smile plastered over his face and holds his arms out to her. She takes him into her arms and he buries his head into her neck and blows raspberries.

"Coopie that tickles." She says.

Derek leans in and kisses her cheek before kissing Coopers'.

"Come on lets order and have dinner so we can get going and get them all to bed." He says opening the door for her and Cooper and follows in behind her.

They take their seats at the table and Meredith sits with Cooper on her lap and orders dinner.

"So Mer what have you thought about getting Cooper yet?" Carolyn asks.

"Well I have a few ideas but I don't know yet. He has so much stuff already but maybe some clothes or toys that are suited for his age but I have an idea with photos so that I think will be the creative thing."

"Well whatever it is I bet it will be great." Carolyn says. "You should see how artistic Meredith and her brother and sister are. It's amazing, especially the scrapbook they made her for her 21st. She has also made these journals to carry on the family history of her family." She tells Gwen.

"Really, what year are you starting from?"

"The year Derek and I met. That's the day our history started so that is the best time to start the journals. I'm going to carry on until the day I can no longer hold a pen and it will get passed down the family line."

"That is a beautiful thing. Keeps the family history going I know how hard it is to track down history from our great, great grandparents. No one knows anything about them and this is something that is excellent because your grandkids will know how you met, what you did in life, the amount of kids you had and all those things."

"Yeah it is a way to continue history."

"I am going to have to have a look at these journals and scrapbook."

"Well you're in town until after Cooper's birthday party so you will have plenty of time to come over and look. You might just have to call first because it is going to be mayhem as soon as we get home."

"Well dear you will be fine. It will not be that chaotic you just have to breathe and say I can do this because you can and you will."

Meredith took a deep breath and smiled. "I can do this."

…

After dinner they headed back to the motel. They said goodnight and headed to their rooms.

"Okay Kaylee bath time." Meredith says to her.

They fill the bathtub up and get both kids in the tub.

"Mummy instead of reading to me can you and daddy tell me about the day you met?"

"You have already heard this story."

"No I haven't." She says shaking her head.

"Fine we will tell you it." Meredith says.

The kids were bathed and dressed. Meredith fed Cooper while Derek played a game with Kaylee.

Cooper was fed and laid down in the cot. Derek and Meredith then went and occupied Kaylee's bed and snuggled her.

"Well the day I first met your mother. I was in year 8 and I was 14 years old. I had just moved back to the high school. I was best friends with Uncle Mark." He says.

"Cristina kept rambling about this boy who was so dreamy and how he was here the year before. I didn't remember him because the first year of high school is quite a transition and you don't remember a lot of things. He had older sisters in year 10 and 12. I was annoyed at her. I thought I heard my name being called and turned around to see." She explains to her.

"I was too interested in reading my timetable and I ran into a girl and we dropped our folders. I'm pretty sure her heart skipped a beat the moment we met."

"I bent down and helped him pick up these books and he said that it was fine. I was just looking at this boy and realised it was who Cristina was talking about. I asked if he was the new boy in school because there was huge talk going on about how dreamy he was."

"I asked if that was true and she told me that she knew that I had started at this school but moved to the other high school and Mark was my best friend. I asked for a name and she said that it was something that I would have to find out. I watched her walk away laughing. I looked at my folder and realised that I had picked up her English book, Meredith Grey, English 8C.

"We were in the same English class. I heard someone start talking, your mum is a famous doctor and your step dad also the Chief. You have a younger brother Jackson who is 7 and a sister Charlie who is almost 1. And you live 2 streets away from me. Oh and your name is Meredith Grey." She says smiling at him.

"She smiled at me and decided that we should properly meet and she held out her hand and said that she was Meredith Grey. I told her that I was Derek Shepherd, it was nice to finally meet you after hearing so much about you."

"He asked to sit beside me to learn the rules and she said that I didn't have to ask. There was a spare seat beside me and we had a sub for the lesson."

"I then said to her that in a bludge lesson I could learn so much more about her and she told me that I was very enthusiastic and she agreed to learn about me too and we shook on."

"Your daddy made me smile that lesson. I hadn't laughed so hard in so many years because of the rough time I was having at home. It is a day I will never forget." Meredith says kissing him.

"A rough time at home. What was happening?"

"That is for some other time. Time to sleep my princess." Derek says getting up off the bed and tucking her in.

"Will you tell me later mummy?"

"Sure sweetie. But it is now time to sleep and dream about the good things and the fun times that are too come." Meredith says kissing her forehead and watching her close her eyes. "I love you Kaylee Sofia."

Derek and her decided to change into their pyjamas and climb into bed.

"I'm glad that you made me laugh that day. You brought the smile to my face. I don't know how to say this but it felt as though I was so depressed and my childhood had disappeared from me. You brought that hope that everything would be fine again."

"I'm glad I did. I loved that day so much. It is something that I think about a lot and a day that always crossed my mind when I wasn't with you."

"I love you so much. It is hard to explain how much that love can go."

"Hey you love me as equally as Kaylee and Cooper. You show love to everyone even if they aren't family and friends. You are going to be an awesome doctor Meredith. You are compassionate and caring. You will be one of the greats."

"Apparently to be a great you can't have compassion and a family."

"Hey you still will be. I didn't tell you this but the afternoon my father died I told him how we were at that time. He said that we would find each other some way or another and that something beautiful would bring us together. He told me that he would be there the day you become one of the greats and that the way you show love towards everyone you will be the one to watch out for. Bedside manner is the best thing that you show. He also told me that if I didn't marry you then I would be making the biggest mistake of my life because we were meant to be together forever."

A tear fell down Meredith's cheek. The moonlight flooded the room and she saw his face in the beautiful light. He wiped the tear from her cheek and she leant in and kissed him.

"Well you almost did make that mistake." She says with a giggle.

"Dad would have been kicking himself so badly if he saw me marry the wrong girl. I think it was fate that got us drunk and in bed that night together."

"Me too and look at what we have from that product we have our son who is almost a year old."

"Dad would have loved his grandkids so much. Cooper looks a lot like him." He says looking into her eyes.

"Yeah he really does. He gets most of his looks from his grandfather and his mother." She says with a smile.

"I miss my dad." He says. Meredith leans in and kisses him.

"I miss him too." She says. "I miss my mum a little as well."

"We are the kids with one dead parent. Kaylee and Cooper will only have two grandparents."

"You're forgetting Thatcher but it's. I don't ever want to see him in my life again because he never made an effort."

"I promise to make an effort." He says to her. "If we fight and yell and scream at each other and are on the verge of breaking up I will never leave our kids because I love them so much and they deserve the best in life."

"Okay." She says with tears falling from her eyes. He wipes them away again and kisses her softly on the lips. "Good because I will as well. I love them so much and I can't destroy their lives."

**Hopefully you enjoyed that. Next chapter is heading home from their holiday/honeymoon. **

**Please review and I will update quicker.**


	64. Make My Dead Mummy Proud

The next morning they both woke to Kaylee jumping on the bed in between them.

"Morning Kay." Derek says.

"Morning daddy."

He looks over at the alarm and sees that it is 7.30. They had a few hours until they needed to be at the airport. Derek kissed Meredith's temple and she rolled over to face Kaylee and Derek.

"Morning." She mumbles.

"What time are we catching the plane to Seattle?"

"1.30 but we have to be at the airport by 11 to check in."

"So we have some time in Brisbane."

"Only a couple of hours. We were just going to go get breakfast, come back and pack then we check out and we will do something for an hour."

"Okay."

"What did you want to do?" Derek asks her.

"I wanted to go swimming."

"Of course." Meredith says with a smile and rolls over and gets out of bed.

She walks to Cooper's cot and sees that he is sound asleep.

_2 am that morning crying came from Cooper's cot. Meredith jumped out of bed and grabbed him before settling herself back into bed and lay on her side and fed him facing Derek. She looked at Derek's features and noticed that he was awake and looking at her._

"_It's been a while since he has woken for a night feed." Derek whispers._

"_Yeah it is. Go back to sleep." Meredith says to him._

"_Hey if you're up then so am I."_

"_Thanks." She says with a smile. "Do you want to know my idea for his present?"_

"_Sure."_

"_It might take a while to get it together; I could get it for his party. But I was thinking making up just a first year baby album. We have a billion photos of him and they are all great. I just want to have something so he knows about his first year."_

"_That sounds great. We can go shopping on his birthday to print the rest of his photos and buy an album and all those other things." He says._

"_Yeah we just need to buy him another gift but I don't know what." Meredith says. "These kids have a lot of gifts."_

"_Just think about what he likes. Trains, books, bikes and all those other things."_

"_He is starting to like Thomas the Tank engine."_

"_Well we can look at a my first Thomas toys. They are suited for his age."_

"_Well we might have to duck out early the day of his birthday. He won't notice."_

"_That's why we should have chosen a present before we went away." He says with a smile._

"_Hey we had a busy week before we went away. Babies were being born, exams and packing. I didn't have a lot of time."_

"_I know. I was just teasing you." He says leaning in and kissing her. "We'll see what time we get home from the plane and we might be able to make a quick duck to the store."_

…

"When we get home will we be able to see Steph and Sam and the babies and Aunty Nancy and Zach?"

"We will see. We have to get Cooper his birthday present."

"Oh it's his birthday tomorrow isn't it?"

"Yeah it is sweetie."

"He turns one this year and I turn 5."

"Yes you do and mummy and daddy turn 23." Derek says.

"You are getting old." She says. Making Meredith sit beside her again.

Meredith and Derek just break into a fit of laughter just thinking at what she had just said.

"Yes we are getting old." Derek says with a serious face.

"What it's true." Kaylee says.

"We aren't that old. We are only 18 years older than you. Steph is 26 years older than Sam. Some parents are 40 years older than their kids. We aren't old."

"I mean you are getting older. Like you are growing up like I am."

"Oh okay sweetie. We thought you meant that we were close to dying." Derek says.

She just rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "Sometimes I act older than you too." Kaylee says.

"Hey we only act like kids because we are kids at heart and we have 2 kids. It is great acting like a kid." Meredith says.

"But you act all silly and don't understand me like I don't understand the two of you sometimes. You act like silly 4 year olds."

"Well Kaylee to tell you the truth we have fun being 4 year olds."

She shakes her head before smiling. Derek and Meredith start tickling her and she just giggles under their tickles. Derek soon leaves Kaylee to recover before pouncing on Meredith and tickling her. She giggles exactly like Kaylee and he continues and doesn't stop.

"Derek…. Stop….. Please." She says giggling.

He finally stops and kisses her on the lips and right on cue Cooper stands in his cot and starts crying. Derek climbs off her and collects him from his cot and sits him on the bed beside Kaylee.

"Here you go sweetie watch some TV and keep an eye on your brother. You're daddy and I are going to go and shower and get ready. Don't answer the door if anyone knocks okay?"

"Okay mummy." She says sitting up in the bed and holding Cooper closer to her.

Derek and her go into the shower and he starts the water and the two of them drop their pyjamas and climb into the shower.

"We can't do any funny business." She says. "Besides I'm exhausted."

"Me too. We just shower like we usually shower separately."

"I was going to wash my hair but my arms are still sore after we went canoeing the day before last."

"I'll wash it for you." He says.

"Thank you." She says to him kissing him on the lips.

They sit in the bath tub and he massages her head while he shampoos it and conditions it. She felt so relaxed like after their trip to the day spa and she wanted to turn around and have sex with him but she held herself together and decided that they could do that when they got home.

They dressed from the shower and went out to the kids. They still sat watching the TV.

"Let's get you two dressed and we can go get some breakfast." Derek says.

…

After breakfast they came back to the hotel and packed. They decided that they would reduce the amount of carry-on luggage this time. They decided that they would take the carrier on the plane again and they would keep Cooper in there from the moment they walked into the airport. They didn't want to over pack but knew that if they didn't pack those things they would need them on the plane. They left the baby bag the way it was and Meredith decided that Derek would carry that while she carried her handbag with plane tickets, money, phones and the camera.

Their bags were packed and secured and they had a look around the room once more before leaving to check out. They meet with the rest of the family and decide that they would check in at the airport and that would leave them time to have a look around at things and buy those last gifts.

Cooper was in the carrier and was being carried by Derek this time.

"I want to get Steph a present for the babies and for Sam and Zoe." Meredith says as they walk into a souvenir shop.

"Well what about cute onesies for the triplets and just like a shirt and little toy for Sam and Zoe."

"Yeah okay." She says. "Hey Kaylee what do you think Sam would want?"

"Hmm." She says as she walks past the clothing. "I think he would like this shirt."

"You do?" Meredith asks holding the shirt up. "It's nice. Do you think he will like it?"

"Yes mummy."

"Okay now we have to get Zoe a present and the triplets."

"Mummy Zoe would like this. She likes purple."

"Okay well this should fit her."

Meredith searched the racks again for onesies for the babies.

"They're cute." Derek says coming up behind her.

"Yeah they are but it is winter back home. They need something warm."

"Well get onesies for 6 months' time."

"Yeah okay." She grabs 2 girly ones and 1 boy one. She also finds Steph and Dan a present along with a small toy each for the kids.

"What about Jackson and Charlie. Oh and Richard." Derek says.

Meredith finds gifts for them all and they pay for the items.

"Remember there is duty free stuff here." Derek says. "Like alcohol."

"We can have a look."

"Thank you." He says with a smile.

"Okay let's go find your mum and we can go through the check points because it is a lot to go through."

They left the store and found Carolyn, Gwen and Amelia.

"Remember to take your bottles of water out. They made us chuck ours out when we were leaving LA." Carolyn says.

"Kaylee hold onto some ones hand." Meredith tells her. "I don't want you to get lost."

She grasped onto Meredith's hand and they held their tickets out and went through all the check points and quarantine. They made it through all the check points and went through to their gate.

"How much longer do we have until boarding?" Amy asks.

"45 minutes."

They went and sat in the gate. Carolyn went with Amy, Gwen and Kaylee to go look at magazines and Meredith and Derek stayed in the gate waiting area.

"Here take him out of the carrier. We have 12 hours on this flight and he won't be able to run around." Meredith says.

"So are you ready to chase after him now?" Derek asks.

"Sure am. We are in the gate anyway so it is pretty isolated."

"Well if you say so." Derek says handing him to Meredith.

"Do you want some food Coopie?"

He nods his head.

"He is ready for a sleep." Derek tells her.

"Yeah, I'll feed him now before we get on the plane." She tells him as she starts feeding him.

Derek rests his head on her shoulder and holds Cooper's foot.

"I'll take his shoes off. He has socks on doesn't he?"

"Yeah he does."

Derek strips his shoes off and places them in the baby bag. Kaylee comes back with Amelia and they sit down.

"Where's Ma?"

"Lady's room."

"Okay then." Derek says. "Did you need to go Kaylee because it is a long time until we take off?"

"Amy already took me daddy."

"Did she go?" Meredith asks.

"Yeah she did."

"Good girl."

"_Boarding to Seattle will begin shortly. Please make your way to the desk."_

"Oh dam." Meredith says.

"Hey don't rush. We can be the last ones on the plane."

Carolyn and Gwen finally made their way back.

"They're boarding." Derek tells them.

"You all go on. I'll stay here and finish up."

"Don't be silly. I'll stay with you. Ma can you take Kaylee on please and get her in her seat and we will come on when Mer finishes?"

"Of course."

"Okay well Derek can you get her passport and ticket from my bag."

Derek finds the ticket for Kaylee and her passport and they go and line up. Meredith stays behind feeding Cooper and she knows that he is almost finished.

"Yeah he is almost finished."

"His slowing his drinking?"

"Yeah he is." She says. "He is almost asleep."

"_Final boarding call for Seattle."_

"We are almost finished here." Derek tells the lady at the desk.

"Yeah that's fine. I won't let them go without you."

"Yeah he is done." She says taking him off and fixing herself up and holding him over her shoulder.

Derek takes their tickets out and passports and the lady scans them.

"Have a nice flight."

"Thank you." Derek says placing a hand on the small of Meredith's back and leading her through the gate to the plane.

They find their seats and sit down beside Kaylee who was up against the window and looking out at the tarmac. They strap their seat belts on and Meredith holds Cooper in her arms.

"Daddy look what they are doing. The plane is moving away from the airport."

"Yeah it is baby. No one will be able to get on anymore."

"_Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I am Roger and I will be your pilot for the flight to Seattle. We have perfect conditions in Brisbane and in Seattle and the ride should be relaxing journey. Lunch will be brought around when we are at a steady altitude and when the seat belts are able to be taken off. We should arrive in Seattle at around 11 am. So sit back and enjoy your flight."_

Take off soon happened and Kaylee sat chewing her lollies and Meredith held Cooper in her arms.

The hours on the plane went by. The air hostesses handed out activity booklets to all the kids on the flight. Cooper woke and was sitting between Derek and Meredith. He wanted to get up and run around but they had to restrain him and hold onto him tightly.

"His keen to get up and run around." Meredith says to Derek.

"I know he is. I'll walk up and down the aisle with him. Just to stretch his legs and burn a little bit of energy off." He says to her taking Cooper from her and holding onto his arms and walking up and down the aisle with him.

Meredith sat watching him interact with everyone.

"Hi what's your name?" An elderly woman asks.

"Coo." Cooper says.

"Cooper."

"He is gorgeous. How old is he?"

"1 tomorrow."

"You and your wife are very lucky."

Meredith smiled and Derek looked at her smiling before looking back down at the lady. "Yes we are. Blessed with beautiful kids." Derek says. "We better be walking again."

Derek receives compliments from most elderly ladies and men. Along with some ladies. Cooper smiled at everyone as they received compliments. They walked by Meredith.

"Hey baby boy. You are the king of people?" Meredith coos to him and bends down and kisses him.

"Ma."

"Yeah baby. You be a good boy for daddy." Meredith says. "Have fun. Bye bye." She says waving to him.

Cooper holds his hand up and waves goodbye. "Bye." The first time he had conquered that. Meredith jumped up.

"Oh he waved." She says a little too excited causing everyone to look at them. "His waving. A little bit late but better late than never." She says kissing Derek and then bending down and picking up in her arms and kissing his cheek. "You are my little genius."

They sit back down in their chairs and Derek takes Cooper and bounces him on his knee. Meredith looks over and sees Kaylee asleep.

"I better get her a pillow." She says. A hostess walks by. "Excuse me would I be able to get a pillow and a blanket for her please?"

"Oh course miss."

She came back handing Meredith the pillow and blanket. "Thank you."

Derek swapped Meredith and laid the pillow under her head and draped a blanket over her body and kisses her forehead.

"I'm feeling a little frisky." Derek whispers to her.

"Yeah I know but we aren't doing anything on this trip because our kids, your mother, aunty and baby sister are here. Just wouldn't be right."

"I know what you mean." He says kissing her cheek. "We'll save it for home."

"Yeah we can have post honeymoon sex."

"Now that is a creative idea." He says with a smirk.

They were 8 hours into their flight and had been fed dinner and people were starting to fall asleep. Cooper had been fed and was sleeping in Derek's arm. Kaylee was asleep again and Meredith had her head rested on Derek's shoulder. He knew that she wasn't asleep because of the way she was breathing.

"What's up?" He asks.

"I'm just trying to think what my first day is going to be like."

"It will be a typical intern day."

"Will you be my resident?"

"Nope."

"If you were than all the time in the world for us time." She says.

"Well technically yes but technically no. I assign you to departments so you wouldn't be on my department because I don't have one."

"Are you going to still go through the neurosurgery path?"

"Yeah I am. I know fellowships are going to bring a strain to everything and…"

"We will work it out when it happens. You have 4 years to think about fellowships and a lot can happen in 4 years so we will play it by year."

"Okay. What are you going to do?"

"I don't know yet. I guess I will have to be inspired."

"The brains are inspiring so are the hearts."

"Cristina has called dibs on cardio. I won't be as hard-core as Cristina she is a robot. She has no boyfriend, kids, and no distractions. She is hard-core. She is great. She will be a great like my mother."

"Hey you are hard-core. You have distractions but when you get in that OR you forget about them. You will be a great like your mother."

"If not I might not make my dead mummy proud."

"Hey she is proud you."

"Derek she thinks that I am a failure. She has even told me that."

"Meredith yeah she might have been like that but she did love all her kids. She might not have told you this but she did. It was something that was hard for her to tell you because she is just a hard person to get emotions out of. You need to remember that she did love you and was proud of you."

Meredith didn't answer and Derek realised that she was asleep. He kissed her forehead and closed his eyes.

A crying child woken them a few hours later. It was Cooper. Meredith brought him over to her lap and held him.

"Please be quiet baby. Everyone is sleeping." Meredith says holding him up over her shoulder and patting his back.

He didn't stop crying so she started feeding him. She had no idea what time it was but she expected it to be late but looking out the window the sun was out. They must have been close to American shores. Derek soon woke.

"Is he alright?"

"Yeah just wanted a feed. His sleeping pattern might be messed up for a little while."

"So will ours." Derek says.

The seat belt sign soon came on and the hostesses were waking passengers up.

"We better wake Kaylee." She tells him.

He leans over and kisses her cheek. "Wake up sweetie. We are about to land."

She woke and stirred. She looked up at Derek with a confused look. She sat up in her chair and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Morning baby." Meredith says to her.

"Morning."

"We might have to fix your hair sweetie. It's all over the place."

Kaylee doesn't care and leans back in her chair.

"_Good morning ladies and gentlemen. We are about 20 minutes out from Seattle. The weather in Seattle at this very moment is wet and windy. It may be a bumpy landing so seat belts will help ensure your safety in this process. If you are a tourist here for fun and pleasure then many of the tourist attractions like the Space Needle is a perfect destination. There are many other destinations in this city to visit. If you are returning home then I hope you enjoyed your trip in Australia and brought home some knowledge about the land I call home. Please remain seated and we will be in Seattle in no time."_

"20 minutes, he should be finished and we can get him in the carrier so we can get off the plane with ease."

They soon touched down at the airport. Cooper was in the carrier. Derek was holding Kaylee and Amelia, Carolyn and Gwen followed them out of the plane.

"Mark said that he would come and pick us up and send Cristina over for Ma." Derek says as he just gets off the phone.

"Well we are going to waste half an hour going through quarantine." She says.

"Ma you can go through. Mer and I are going to get a few things."

Derek and Meredith go through to the duty free things and he picks up alcohol for the two of them to have. They pay and go through to show their tickets and passports and through quarantine. They reach baggage claim and Derek grabs their bags while Meredith holds Kaylee's hand. They find a trolley and stack the bags up and let Kaylee sit on the bags while they go to find Mark.

"Meredith, Derek." They hear and turn to find Mark walking towards them.

"Hey Mark."

"How was your trip?" He says picking Kaylee up and leads them to the car.

"Wonderful. It is such an amazing island. It's beautiful."

"That is great. Did you have a lot of alone time?"

"Yeah we did. We did spend some time with the kids though."

"Well that is good. Family holiday filled with fun and pleasure."

Mark reaches the car and they load the back up with the bags and get the kids settled and Mark drives them home.

"We are supposed to go into work on Sunday just to do the paperwork and the human resources thing. We are also getting our cubby's and our intern list. Then we have that stupid intern mixer." Mark tells Derek.

"You don't have to go." Derek says.

"Yeah I do. I'm meeting the next generation of interns."

"You already know 5 of them. There can't be that many more."

"Hey we had a class of 18. This is a class of 20." Mark says.

"Do I have to go in on Sunday as well?"

"Yeah you do. You have to get assigned lockers and your name tags handed out so you can access the hospital."

"I haven't had my photo done yet."

"Well then you will when you drop in." Mark says to her.

They arrive home and Meredith gets Cooper out and Kaylee goes inside.

"Peanut and Sparrow are also here. I dropped them off when I was getting your car."

"Thanks man for looking after them."

"No worries."

"Do you want to come inside and see photos."

"Save them for Cooper's party on Saturday."

"Okay we will."

"I better be going. I will see you all later."

"See you Mark."

Meredith and Derek collapsed on the lounge. Cooper returned to his toys and Kaylee sat on the lounge looking like she was about to fall asleep.

"Are we going to go shopping?" Mer asks.

"We can go later. I need a nap."

"Yeah me too." She says covering Kaylee with a blanket and then grabbing Cooper and lying on the lounge with Derek.

Cooper laid between his two parents and Derek kept that supportive arm around Meredith. He kissed her nose.

"Thank you for my honeymoon." Meredith whispers to him.

"No thank you."

**Read and review. I'll update as soon as possible.**

**Next chapter is Cooper's birthday and spending some time with Cristina.**


	65. Your First Birthday

"Happy 1st birthday baby boy." Meredith and Derek said collecting him from his cot.

A smile formed on his face and Meredith and Derek kissed both of his cheeks.

"Kay." He says pointing to the direction of Kaylee's bedroom.

"We'll get her up soon big boy." Derek says.

"Let's go downstairs and let you open your presents. Kaylee won't mind." Meredith says to her baby.

Derek carries him downstairs to where his presents are. Meredith grabs the camera to take photos of him.

"Choose which one you want to open." Derek tells him setting him on the ground.

Cooper picks the biggest present and sits down on the ground with Derek. He tries to open it but has trouble.

"Dada."

"Okay here we go." Derek says helping him tear away the paper.

He opens his first birthday present which is a My first Thomas Train set.

"Tom da Tank." Cooper says enthusiastically smiling.

"Yeah baby. Thomas the Tank engine."

He stares at the pictures on the box.

"Do you want to open another present?" Meredith asks him.

"Tom da tank."

"I guess not." Derek says to her. "We can open them later. How about I open this and we can set it up and play with it."

"Ya."

"Okay well let's get to work." Derek says to him.

Father and son open the present and make sure to dispose of all the plastic and things that Cooper was most likely to place in his mouth. Derek was like a kid all over again and was so fascinated in building this set. Meredith just sat back and watched with a smile. The phone soon rang so she went and answered it.

"Hello?"

"_Mer, hi. You should come with us to the hospital today to get our paperwork finalised and have our badges done. Then you should take me shopping and pick something out for you son because I don't know what to get him."_

"Sure Cris. I'll pick you up just before 11. I'm spending time with my big 1 year old."

"_Okay good. Then you can tell me all about your honeymoon."_

"Yes I will. I will message you when I am leaving. I need to pick up a few things anyway so this is a good opportunity today."

"_See you soon."_

"Bye Cris." She says hanging up the phone.

"Who was that?"

"Cristina. I'm going to go to the hospital with her today. See Richard and then go shopping with her. I might take Coopie with me just so he can see his Poppy."

"Sure. I'll spend the day washing and being with my daughter." Derek says.

"Yeah you will. She needs some daddy time. She hasn't had a lot of it in the past year so spend a day with your daughter. The weather looks alright so maybe go to the park with her."

"Sure." He says turning his attention to the door. "Morning sweetie."

Meredith turns to see Kaylee clutching her teddy bear and sucking her thumb. "Hey baby girl."

She comes running into the lounge room to Meredith and places her arm around Meredith's neck.

"Have you opened all his presents?"

"Just one. He was too interested in the Thomas set than the rest of his gifts."

"Happy birthday Coopie." Kaylee says kneeling to her baby brother and kissing his cheek.

"That was sweet Kaylee." Meredith says sitting her in her lap.

"I got to show him love because he is my younger brother."

"Guess what you are doing today?" Derek says to her.

"I don't know."

"You are going to spend the day with me and we will do anything that you want."

"Yes." She says with a smile. "What is mummy doing?"

"I am going to work to sort out some paper work with Aunt Cristina than doing some shopping for Coopie's party."

"Okay then mummy."

"Do you want some breakfast guys?" Meredith asks everyone.

"Yeah sure. I'll cook though give you a chance to spend some time with Coopie and Kaylee."

"Thanks."

"Cooper what do you want for breakfast. Pancakes or waffles?" Derek asks him.

"Waff."

"Okay waffles it is."

"I'm going to help you daddy."

The cooked breakfast up and sat at the table. Meredith cut Cooper's food up into tiny squares and places fruit on his plate as well. They all ate and Kaylee talked about the holiday and how much fun she had had. They cleaned up after breakfast and Meredith cleaned Cooper down and got him to open his other presents up.

They sat at the table and she was holding him. He opened the next present which was clothes and a pair of converse shoes. The next present was a photo album.

She had put this together yesterday. The front of the blue folder had Cooper spelt out and a picture of the first ultrasound in the window. Meredith wanted to show him inside so she turned the first page which had a message written across it.

"I'll read it to you." She says. "Dear my baby boy Cooper Isaac. Today is the day that celebrates a year since you were born. Your first birthday. You are the baby who means a lot to your daddy and I. You are that little angel who brought us together to be a family. We love you with all our hearts and we are so glad you had a healthy first year. We are pleased to have you as our little boy and we love you so much. Just keep living life and in no time you will be a father and having these very moments. Keep smiling as well because nothing beats seeing your beautiful smile. The smile that lights up the room. Love Mummy, Daddy and Kaylee."

"Ma." He says smiling at her.

"Yeah keep smiling." She says flicking through the photos from his first year.

They were arranged from the first ultrasound to yesterday. Today's photos would be placed in there later. All the photos brought the memories back to them. Cooper was controlling the page turning and he looked contently at them all. She couldn't bring her eyes away from the first caption 'the first time daddy saw you on the big screen'.

_They were both newly engaged. They had a 3 year old daughter and a 10 week old foetus growing. Today was the day Derek got to see their future baby on the 'big screen' as he liked to call it._

"_Wake up beautiful." He says kissing her cheek._

_He had moved in the day after he proposed to Meredith and the wedding was called off. It was now 3 weeks later and it was a few days before Christmas. It had been 10 weeks since the conception of their baby and Derek was so overly protective of Meredith. Derek told her that her belly was starting to form a bump but it was barely noticeable, he could see the glow of the pregnancy and there were other features like her bigger boobs, the morning sickness, her cravings and the sex._

_Meredith told Derek that he seemed to put on some weight and he was having those midnight cravings along with Meredith._

_They dressed and had breakfast and took Kaylee along with them to the hospital. They sat in the waiting room and were soon called in for the ultrasound. Derek sat in the chair and Kaylee on his lap. Meredith lay on the table with her shirt up and laid there with a smile on her face. _

"_Hi I'm Freda and will be your technician for the day. How far along are you?"_

"_10 weeks." Derek says._

"_Okay well we will take a first look at your baby and see if we can hear the heartbeat. Is this the first ultrasound?"_

"_No second. I came in 7 weeks ago to have the pregnancy confirmed and the doctor showed me my baby then just to see if it was alright. He told me to come back on the 10 week mark to see if everything was going to plan. It is also Derek's first time seeing the baby oh and Kaylee's first time seeing her sibling."_

"_Okay well let's get started." She says squirting the gel on her abdomen and placing the wand on her stomach. _

_She looks up at the screen and guides the wand around her belly to find the foetus. She stops in on one particular place and fiddles with the computer._

"_Okay there is the foot. Then the buttocks and that there is the baby." She says pointing at the screen. "Your baby is the size of a grapefruit and it should weigh about 4 grams and is 3.1 centimetres."_

_Derek just smiles and leans down kissing Meredith's cheek. _

"_Look Kaylee there is your sibling." Meredith says pointing at the screen._

"_We will listen to the heartbeat as well." She says turning the volume on and the racing heartbeat sounds through the room. "Everything seems fine. I will give you a few minutes alone."_

_She leaves the room and they sit looking at the screen. _

"_There is your baby Derek. Our 2__nd__ child." Meredith says looking at him._

"_I know." He says smiling even more. "I love you so much."_

"_Me too."_

Cooper become restless so they flicked through the rest of the album and he had one more present to open. Meredith helped him with that and he opened a photo frame of the 4 of them from their trip away. Derek decided that they would get a big copy and hang it above his cot.

"Okay I'm going to dress him and we will head out." Meredith tells Derek.

"Well when you go I will put this up in his room."

"Thank you."

Meredith carries Cooper upstairs with his new clothes and lays him on the change table and changes his nappy along with his clothes. She sits on the floor with him to put his sneakers on and she goes and brushes his teeth and takes him downstairs while she gets herself ready. She grabs Cooper and her bag.

"Hey we're heading off now." She says to Derek.

"I will see you soon then."

"Do we need anything?"

"Not that I can think of. If I do I will let you know."

"Okay." She says kissing him goodbye. "See you soon."

"Bye Mer. Bye Coopie."

"Bye." He says waving goodbye to his daddy.

She gets in the car and heads over to Cristina's and waits for her to come down to the car and they drive over to the hospital and to human resources.

"Hi um we have to come and see you about our intern badges and paperwork." Cristina says.

"Are you starting on Monday?" Steve asked.

"Yes we both are."

"Okay well I will just need your names."

"Cristina Yang."

"Meredith Grey."

"Oh yes. Just take a seat and I will get your paperwork and then set up for your ID."

Cooper sat on his mum's lap and looked around the office.

"Hey little man. You're the big 1 aren't you?" Cristina coos to him.

"Do you like his shoes?" Mer says. "He got them today."

"Oh that are cute. He will grow out of them in no time."

"I know. I will get him to wear them as much as possible before he does grow. I might have to save them for the next boy I have."

"Hey the Shepherd's genes produced 4 girls and a boy. Cooper could be your only boy."

"We'll we will have to wait and see."

Steve came back with the paperwork and handed them the sheets of paper to fill out and sign.

"How old is your son?"

"He turned one today."

"He is cute."

"Takes after his dad. So does my daughter." She says handing over her paperwork.

"Meredith Grey-Shepherd. Are you married to Derek Shepherd?"

"Yes I am."

"He is a great surgeon."

"I get told that a lot."

"Well Meredith why don't you come over here and we will get your ID done so it can be picked up the day you start."

Meredith handed Cooper over and stood for her photo to be taken. Cristina soon took her place and they were good to leave.

They headed upstairs to Richard's office and knocked on the door. Patricia opened the door to them.

"Hi Meredith."

"Hi is Richard around?"

"Yeah he is." She says opening the door wider.

"Meredith how are you dear?" He says getting up from his chair to greet her.

"Good."

"How was the honeymoon?"

"The honeymoon was great. Just thought I would come and see you so you knew I was alive and see the big 1 year old."

"Oh yes of course. Cooper my boy, happy birthday." He says taking Cooper into his arms. "Internship starts on Monday. You ready?"

"Yeah I guess. I just can't believe how fast the time has flown."

"What about you Cristina?"

"I'm happy to start. More than happy. I want to start."

"Oh you just wait until that very first day and you may be regretting your words."

"Well it is life. You work and you work and you have a crappy day but if it's something you want to do then you get used to the job."

"That is the spirit."

"Anyway I just wanted to come and see you. We are going to the mall to go shopping and get some things. Will I see you Saturday?"

"Of course you will."

"Good." She says taking Cooper into her arms again. "See you at 3."

"Bye Mer. Happy birthday little man. Bye Cristina."

"Bye Sir."

"Say bye." Meredith whispers to Cooper.

"Bye." He says waving goodbye.

"His waving?"

"Sure is. Started on the plane." She says smiling. "Bye."

Cooper waves goodbye to Richard as they leave the office.

They drive towards the mall and get out again but this time they let Cooper walk and he holds one of Cristina's and Meredith's hands.

"So what did you and Derek get up to when you were honeymooning."

"Well what do you want to know about the sex or the adventure?"

"Hmm, public place, middle of the day." She says. "The sex of course."

"Okay well where do I begin?"

"From the beginning."

"Well Derek and I got the sex started on the plane trip?"

"The one from LA to Australia?"

"No the Seattle to LA. We were talking and he was getting really turned on. Gave him some special treatment under a sweater."

"Girl seriously?"

"Yeah. No one knew what we were doing."

"God when I think the two of you become a boring old couple just doing the boring old missionary position you give him a handy on the plane trip under a sweater."

"Yeah well we were being adventurous. Then the 12 hour flight as soon as the seatbelt sign was off we were in the bathroom getting it on. Then we went again and then again."

"You two are like horny teenagers. Weren't people suspicious?"

"Nope not really. We done a little roleplaying as well."

"You too. I don't know how you find the time."

"We have 2 kids. We know how to be fast." Meredith says to her as they go up the escalator. They helped Cooper onto the steps as they went up.

"Well did the two of you do it anywhere else adventurous?"

"Well we went to the day spa for the full day and when we were getting into our gowns Derek snuck into my change room and we done it in there." Meredith says.

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah." Meredith says. "Ready jump Coopie." She tells Cooper.

"Did you get busted?"

"Nope. Derek wanted to get it on in the mud spas but I convinced him not to but he done some underwear work for me."

"Oh god."

"Oh and when we got in the sauna. Now that was adventurous. Very romantic as well."

"Well I wouldn't be surprised that you conceived a baby."

"Hey we were heaps careful. Considering the amount of sex that we had."

"Was there anywhere else as adventurous?"

"We went canoeing by ourselves and stopped off for lunch in these caves."

Cristina just shakes her head as they enter the toy store. Cooper runs from Meredith and Cristina.

"I don't know what to get him?"

"Okay well he is 1. You can usually find things for his age."

"He has a lot of things though."

"Okay well he is starting to like trains. We got him a Thomas set and you can buy trains to go with the set."

"Yeah I might just do that." She says.

They find Cooper staring at all the toys. Meredith sweeps him into her arms and they follow Cristina to the trains.

"These ones here."

She looks at all the different trains and is just shocked. "Seriously, this many trains for one TV show."

"Yeah well they just keep adding characters to the show." Meredith says. "Just choose 2 of them."

She finally picks 2 of them and have a browse throughout the store. Cristina pays for the present and they leave the store.

"What do you need to get?"

"A few things for his party. I have most of the stuff but just toys for the party bags. The food I am getting on Friday. The cake Carolyn is picking up for me."

"Is it going to be a lame arse one year old party?"

"Hey Kaylee's was pretty fun."

"Yeah well I suppose our drinking fest when all the kids were asleep. The actual party was okay but when the alcohol comes out and the music comes on that is when the best times happen."

Meredith just rolled her eyes and laughed.

"The only reason we were drinking and partying was because it was my birthday as well. We always share our birthdays and whenever the kids are asleep that's when you party and play those drinking games and conceive another baby with a soon-to-be married man, your ex-boyfriend and your baby daddy. Those are the fun times." She says.

"Oh that was an eventful night though."

"Yeah it really was. I don't think something as outrages will ever happen like that again."

"Well you could maybe conceive a baby with two heads if you're extremely drunk."

"Not going to happen."

Their shopping trip was a leisurely time for them. They stopped for lunch and for Meredith to feed Cooper.

"Are you going to keep him on your boob for very much longer?"

"I don't know. I want to keep feeding him but it may get a bit harder. I will feed him until it becomes hard. Kaylee I had to stop feeding because she would run away when I was feeding her. Cooper though can block out the distractions and he still feeds. So I guess I will."

"Well I'm sure Shepherd enjoys that."

"No Mark enjoys that more." She says. "Is it weird that my husband's best friend enjoys looking at my boobs more than my husband?"

"Your husband is respectful. Mark is a man whore. Derek does enjoy them but not with a disturbing stare and eye contact with your boobs rather than your eyes."

"How are we friends with him." Meredith says laughing.

"Don't ask me."

They walked around the shops and Meredith carried the sleeping Cooper in her arms. She picked up the last few party supplies and decided that they would head home because her arms were starting to hurt.

She managed to pick up a birthday cake for tonight and when Charlie and Jackson were coming over.

She arrived home and carried him inside to the lounge. Derek and Kaylee were out of the house so she packed away groceries and made party bags and put a second load of washing on.

Just after 4 they walked through the door. Cooper was awake and playing with his toys. Meredith was folding washing.

"Your home?" She says standing up to kiss Derek and Kaylee.

"Yes we are."

"What'd you get up to today?"

"We had a day at the park then I took Kaylee to the movies as a treat."

"Oh you're a lucky girl. Did you thank daddy?"

"Yes mummy. I gave him a hug and a kiss."

"Good girl."

Derek sets her on the ground and she runs over to Cooper. He pulls her into his arms and holds her.

"How was shopping?"

"It was good. A good girls day. Cristina and I just talked about everything."

"Our honeymoon?"

"Yeah and how Mark stares at my boobs more than you." She says smiling.

"Yeah I noticed that. It is kind of weird."

"Well at least I'm turning heads."

"Hey you turn my head for every reason. If you're dressed like a supermodel you turn my head. If you're in daggy sweats you turn my head and when you're dressed in scrubs you do exactly the same thing." He says kissing her.

…

After the small birthday dinner they got the kids in bed and talked to Jackson and Charlie about their holiday. They then left and Meredith and Derek went upstairs to get into bed.

"Oh I decided that I'm still going to breastfeed Coopie until it gets harder."

"Well good on you. Make him my little genius."

"Well he has been going to med school with me ever since he was a foetus and until my finals. He has had that head start."

"We are going to have little Einstein's."

She just sits there and smiles before going into the nursery and climbing back into bed.

"It's his 1st birthday. I want to remember the memories of his first 12 months." She says opening to the first picture they got of him. "The first minute of his life. Look at him."

"I remember seeing him take that first breath and his first cry." Derek says smiling.

"And when he was placed in my arms for the first time and I started feeding him straight away and he looked up at us with his green eyes."

"He was so beautiful. The moment he was born he was gorgeous. Even if he was all slimy and gooey. He was beautiful."

"I'm glad this time you got to hold my hand throughout the labour. The very long labour."

"Well if Kaylee took 18 hours I would have been at your side. She just wanted to be an early girl and make her daddy miss the moment."

"I have always thought that if we weren't out at the land and at the house I don't think we would have made it to the hospital. She would have been born at home."

"Well she is healthy and that's all that matters to us."

"It sure is." She says looking at the next page. "Kaylee's first nurse."

"She was a little unsure of the whole thing but she loves being a big sister."

"She is very mature about it. She looks after him. If we ask her to watch him for 5 minutes she does and keeps a close eye on him. She will never let him get hurt."

"That's what big sisters are for."

"When we have another baby I think she will be a lot more mature and would like to help mummy more." She tells him.

"Well she will be let's say 7. I guess we will trust her more with things."

"I would trust her with everything." Meredith says smiling at him. "She is our daughter and I will never lose faith in her."

They flick through to the back of the album.

"You didn't read this to him." Derek says.

"Well that is for him to discover on his own. He will read it and know what he means to us."

"If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together… there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart. I'll always be with you." Derek reads aloud. "If something happens to us and then he will know that we will always be with him."

"Yeah it's a message I wrote in Kaylee's album. We will always be with them whatever happens. If a sea separates us we will still be a family. If us two die they should not give up because they are brave, strong, smart kids who will work out that we love them no matter what."

He just smiles at her and kisses her. "You need to know this as well. If I leave you I will always be with you."

**The quote in the back of the book I thought was very cute. I had to add that in.**

**Anyway review and drop any thoughts or questions. **

**Next chapter is his first party. **


	66. You Should Read Them

Derek and Meredith spent the day preparing for Cooper's party. They decorated and cooked and cleaned. Kaylee was entertaining Cooper for the time they needed to prepare the house.

"So how many people are coming?"

"About 34."

"For a first birthday party?"

"Yeah."

"That seems like a lot of people."

"Okay well there are 4 newborn babies. Your family takes up most of the numbers you know with all their kids. My 4 family members and our friends. So it is you to blame for the big numbers."

"Yeah righto."

"Oh and Dr Roach, Tasha and Jill are coming over. I thought it was nice to invite your resident and his family."

"Thanks for the warning."

"Hey Coopie has no baby friends around his age except for Jill."

"Yeah I suppose."

"You suppose." Meredith says smiling. "Come on you can help me hang up the banner."

Carolyn came over later with Gwen, the cake and Cooper's present. Carolyn and Gwen take over the kitchen and get Meredith and Derek upstairs to get ready.

Derek goes for jeans and a t-shirt while Meredith gets dressed for the occasion. Derek watched as she put on the tights with the long flowy top and the boots. He was admiring her and checking her out. When she caught his staring she smiled.

"Derek."

"Yeah."

"What are you doing?"

"Just admiring my beautiful wife."

"What else are you doing?"

"Just imagining how I'm going to ripe those clothes off you tonight."

She just shakes her head smiling. "Oh you. I knew that was what you were doing. Anyway if your done why don't you go and help Kaylee change and bring Coopie up here as well."

"Okay." He says leaving their bedroom.

Meredith finished doing her hair and then stands up and admires herself. Derek comes in with Cooper crying and read faced.

"What's wrong with him?"

"He had to put Thomas down."

"Okay. Hey Coopie it's okay. I just want to get you dressed. You can play with Thomas soon." She says trying to soothe him. She looks at how tired he looks. "I think you are ready for a sleep baby boy. I will change your nappy and clothes and feed you."

She changes his nappy and his clothes and goes and sits in the rocking chair to feed him. He finally falls asleep and she lays him in the crib and leaves his bedroom taking the baby monitor downstairs to the kitchen.

"Where's Coop?" Carolyn asks.

"He was ready for a sleep. That's why he was cranky when you brought him up to me." She says telling Derek.

"He doesn't let on how tired he is anymore ever since he got his Thomas set. He is scared that it is going to disappear if he leaves it but we keep telling him that it is fine."

"You were like him at that age Derek. It's a Shepherd thing." Carolyn says. "He will grow out of it in a few weeks."

"I hope so. He just screams when he is taken away from Thomas." Meredith says. "You should have seen him last night he fell asleep at the track. I had fed him and let him play and then he fell asleep at the track. We just thought he was really quiet and when we realised that it was 9.30 that's when we checked him and he was asleep on his belly with the trains in his hands."

The doorbell sounded. "Oh everyone is here." Derek says.

Him and Meredith open the door and find Steph and Dan there with their 5 kids.

"Hi guys."

"Hey you two."

"Come on in." Derek says taking a capsule from Dan. "Kaylee is playing with the toys Sam and Zo."

They run out to find Kaylee. Meredith takes the capsule from Steph and they go into the kitchen to show off their godchildren.

"Steph, Dan. So lovely to see you." Carolyn says.

"You to Mrs Shepherd." Steph says.

"Oh and these must be the beautiful triplets."

"Yes they are."

"They have gotten so big Steph." Meredith says.

"I know. The doctor is pleased with them. They are only 2 weeks and he says that Bowen has gained 900 grams and a centimetre. Ally has gained 700 grams and a centimetre and Carly has gained 800 which is good considering she is the smallest out of the three."

"Which one is which Steph?" Carolyn asks.

"Okay this one is Bow, the pink one is Carleigh and the orange is Ally."

"They are gorgeous."

"How is Zach doing?" She asks.

"He is good. Eating like a champ. I saw him just the other day. He has gotten a lot bigger."

The doorbell soon sounded and Derek went to go and answer. He came into the kitchen with baby Zach in his arms and Nancy and Tom following.

"Hi everyone." Nancy says.

"Hi Nancy, Tom."

"Where's the birthday boy?"

"He is upstairs asleep."

"Partied out already?" Tom asks.

"Yeah he is." Meredith says. "Hi Zach. Look at you. You look like a monster."

"Here take him. I am going to go and place the presents on the table and get the door." Derek says passing her Zach.

Meredith holds her youngest nephew in her arms. His dark head of hair and his brown eyes look at his aunty.

"Steph your triplets are quite adorable." Nancy says looking at the sleeping babies in their capsules.

"Thank you Nancy. Zach here is quite a cutie."

"Oh he sure is."

The rest of the guests arrived and the kids were off playing. The adults were everywhere in the house. The triplets were awake and on the ground with Zach. Meredith was showing off her nephew and godchildren to everyone.

"Meredith, Carleigh is so cute. I think she is my favourite." Izzie says.

"Hey Carleigh is everyone's favourite." Steph says from the lounge. "I just think it's because she is the smallest."

"And the cutest." Callie says. "Don't get me wrong but she is so cute."

Steph just laughs.

"Where is Cooper Mer?" Arizona asks.

"He is asleep. He does this thing now that he plays with his toys and doesn't let on at how tired he is. He fell asleep last night on his stomach with trains in his hands. He just thinks that they are going to disappear if he leaves them."

"So he is a hard core train fan now?"

"Yeah he is. Thomas all the way." She tells them. "We have to watch Thomas and he tries to say all the names of the trains which is just blabber at the moment."

"He will be talking in no time." Izzie says.

"And he will be like Derek and have the none stop chatter going." Meredith tells them.

The girls all giggle and Derek comes over to them.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing." Meredith tells him.

"You were all talking about me weren't you?"

"Maybe." She giggles.

"Yeah you were. I know when you talk about me because you get this cute little smile on your face and start giggling." He says sitting down beside her and tickling her. He stops tickling her and starts kissing her.

"Hey there are babies in the room." Nancy says.

They pull apart and smile at each other and share a look.

"God you two are uncontrollable. I do not want to know what you got up to on your honeymoon." Kathleen says.

"Trust me you don't." Cristina says.

Derek sits himself beside Meredith and they laugh.

"You told Cristina what we did?"

"Hey she is my best friend. We tell each other everything and share all our dirty little secrets."

"Dam I am not liking the knowledge she has from what we did."

"I didn't tell her everything." She whispers in his ear. "You can relax."

"Thank god for that."

"What did the two of you do?"

"Well that isn't appropriate for this time of day when there are kids in earshot." Derek says.

"The two of you are unbelievable." Kathleen says. "You are two very sexual beings."

"Hey there is nothing wrong with a lot of sexual action. There is nothing wrong with sex." Derek says to his oldest sister.

"Still you two are like rabbits. I'm surprised you haven't traumatised your kids yet."

"Don't go all shrink on us now after we done the deed." Derek says.

"Fine I won't." She says. "I need some alcohol."

"I'll come and join you." Cristina says.

"Did you two get it on when you were flying?" Izzie asks.

They share a look with each other, smiling.

"Maybe." Meredith says.

"Okay I need some alcohol too." Izzie says getting up. Callie and Arizona follow as well.

"Oh to be young and in love." Steph says.

"It's just us." Meredith says reaching forward to grab Bowen who was getting unsettled.

"Well I will tell you that Bowen here drinks the most. It's unbelievable at how much he drinks. I get Carleigh fed, then start on Alyssa and I am close to finishing feeding Alyssa and he is still going."

"He is your booby monster." Meredith says.

"I guess he is."

Crying sounds over the baby monitor.

"Talking about booby monsters. I better get mine." Meredith says handing Bowen to Steph.

Derek and Meredith walk up to get Cooper.

"Hey baby boy." Derek says taking him from the crib. "You should come and see who is here to see you."

"Everyone that loves you is here." Meredith says putting his shoes on his feet. "Nanna, all your aunties and uncles. Your cousins."

"Poppy and Jas."

Meredith has his shoes on his feet and kisses his cheek. She also places a party hat on his head. "Let's go and see everyone."

Derek carried him and Meredith follows. They go down the stairs and everyone turns and looks at the birthday boy. They just got down the last step when everyone was swarming around to kiss the birthday boy. Derek just passes him off and he goes to check on the food.

"Meredith you should be proud."

"Hey I am." She says smiling. "I am proud every moment of the day."

"Food is ready." Derek says to everyone.

All the kids get up and run past him to the food. A typical Shepherd thing.

"Oh Meredith I have dropped a box off in the study. It's something I thought you would like to have a look at." Richard tells her.

"Okay I will take a look later."

Meredith goes into the lounge and sees Nancy feeding Zach and Steph feeding Bowen and Carleigh. She sits herself down beside Steph.

"That looks like a lot of work."

"Yeah it is but it's rewarding."

"I was like that with the twins. It was a lot of work but I still fed them for 6 weeks."

"Anyway the food is ready." She tells them. "Can I get you anything?"

"Water." Steph says.

"Me too."

"Okay I will bring a jug in for you."

"Thanks Mer."

She goes into the kitchen and sees the kids all getting their food dished up onto plates. Cooper was in the highchair and waiting for a feed. Meredith grabbed a jug of water and glasses and took them into the lounge room for Nancy and Steph.

"I was going to get Dan to help me but can you take Carleigh for me. I will have a drink of water while doing that and can you burp Carleigh. Then when you burp Carleigh pass me Ally?"

"Sure." Meredith says taking Carleigh and giving Steph a glass of water. She places a towel over her shoulder and burps Carleigh. "God it's been a good 6 months since I've burped a baby."

Derek came into the lounge room. "Oh feeding time is it?"

"Yeah it is." Meredith says.

"Oh Derek can you hand me Ally to feed?"

He takes Ally from the ground and Steph starts feeding her.

"You stole my job." Meredith says smiling.

"Well sorry."

"Derek you can take Bowen. He has finished."

Derek takes Bowen burps him. Meredith gets Carleigh to sleep. She stands there rocking the newborn side to side. Something that she loves doing.

"Where do you want to put the babies Steph?" Meredith asks.

"Can we lay them upstairs on your bed?"

"Sure. I'll take Carleigh up there now."

The four babies were soon asleep on the bed. Meredith got Jackson to start some games with the kids while Meredith ate. Cooper was sitting in Charlie's lap as they played.

The pile of presents wasn't touched and they decided to cut the cake and let Cooper play with his trains.

"Ready." Derek says.

Everyone sings as Meredith carries the train cake out to him. Derek and Meredith help him blow out the candles.

"Ready blow." They both say to him and try to encourage him to blow the candle out.

Everyone claps and Meredith and Derek both place a kiss on his cheek. "Happy birthday baby boy."

"You two stay there." Carolyn says. "I need to get a shot of him and his mum and dad." She says. "Okay good."

"Ready let's cut the cake." Meredith says picking up the knife. Derek holds him and has his hand on the handle of the knife.

They make the cut in the cake and everyone claps. Derek puts Cooper back in the highchair.

"Who's having cake?" Meredith asks.

"Aunty Mer can I have that piece." Braden asks.

All the kids point at the parts of the cake they want. Meredith just slices up the cake and hands it around to the kids and they sit and eat. Derek gives Cooper a piece to eat. The cake is handed out to everyone.

"Aunty Mer look at Coopie?" Claire says.

Meredith looks at Cooper and sees his face covered the cake.

"You are going to need a good bath my boy." Meredith says kissing the top of his head.

He just smiles as he continues eating his cake. Derek smiles at Meredith and leans in and kisses her.

"First birthday done and dusted."

"Another 20 to go." She says with a smile.

"Ma." Cooper says.

"Yes my boy." She says looking at him.

"More?"

"You want more?" She says. "Okay then."

She places a smaller piece in front of him and he eats that.

"Hey Jackson you can take the kids outside. It is nice outside. Just make sure their shoes and coats are on."

Jackson rounds all the kids up and they take them outside to play. Jasmine pushed Jill in the baby swing and all the kids chased one another on the equipment.

As the afternoon ended the babies were all passed around from person to person and people started to leave. Richard, Charlie, Jackson and Jasmine were staying for dinner tonight.

Meredith made sure to give the kids party bags. Carolyn stayed behind to help clean up and Meredith showed Gwen the scrapbook that the kids made her and the journals that Meredith was creating. Gwen and Carolyn left and Charlie was playing with Kaylee and Cooper and Jackson and Jasmine were opening the presents from the party and writing the gifts down in the cards.

"Yeah that box I left you I was wondering if I could have a look up in the attic to see if there were anymore. I seem to be missing a lot of things from my move 5 years ago."

"Yeah sure. Derek will give you hand if you want. I need to supervise the present opening."

Derek and Richard headed up to the attic to look around.

"What exactly are you looking for?"

"Ellis's thing. I was scratching around my attic the other day and I could not find any of her things. We must not have packed everything up."

"Okay. What was in the box you found?"

"Meredith's things."

"Ellis kept Meredith's childhood things?"

"Some things." Richard says. "Here we go." He says dragging a box out.

He sets it on the ground and opens it.

"Journals?"

"Yeah I was looking for these."

"Does Meredith know about these journals?"

"I don't think so."

"I'm going to go down and get her." Derek says.

He walks downstairs and sees her in the study going through the box.

"Journals." She says.

"That's what I came to see you about." He says confused. "Richard didn't say anything about journals in this box."

"Well I did find my old Anatomy Jane." She says holding her up.

"She is quite ugly."

"Yeah she is but she was helpful."

"Mummy what is that?"

"Anatomy Jane."

"She is kind of funny looking."

"Yeah she is."

Meredith finds goes down to the journals and flicks through the dates of them.

"These are written around the time mum was pregnant with me all the way to December 2010. That was the year she got Alzheimer's and Richard and her went on a holiday. It was the last day we talked." Meredith says.

"She has written them for you. Along with another box of journals."

"I didn't think she was into this."

Richard comes into the study with the box of journals.

"I found more journals Richard. Did you know they were in there?"

"Yeah I did. Your mother said that I should give that box to you but I forgot about the box until the other day."

"Well she kept my Anatomy Jane and school things."

"You carried that doll around that hospital. Everywhere. To the morgue. The OR gallery."

"I remember." Meredith says. "She was my best friend."

"Your doll was your best friend?" Derek asks.

"Shut up." Meredith says smiling.

"Anyway I brought this box over so you could have some of your mothers' legacy and see how proud she was of you."

"Yeah that's an understatement."

"Meredith read the journals and you will find out how much she loved all you kids." He says. "There is a lot about Charlie and Jackson in them but she only wrote about you and yeah she might have been angry at you sometimes but she always wrote about how much she loved you and was proud of you. Yeah she never showed it but she expressed it in these. I say that you should read them." He says. "And when she had her lucid day she even asked if she could see you and Kaylee."

"Yeah okay."

"Good. Now we better be going. I'm going to take these journals and read them."

"Yeah sure." Meredith says.

Derek leaves the study to get Cooper and everyone else.

"Coopie say goodbye to Poppy?"

"Bye." Cooper says waving.

"Bye little man." Richard says kissing his cheek a walking out the door.

"Now to Charlie."

"Bye." Cooper says waving and blowing a kiss.

Charlie kisses him goodbye and Meredith.

"Now Jackson."

"Bye Bye Ack." He says.

Jackson just smiles at him. "Bye Cooper." Jackson says kissing his cheek.

"Now to Jas."

"Bye Ja." He says blowing a kiss.

"Bye Coopie." Jasmine says kissing him goodbye.

They all left and Meredith checked her watched.

"Okay bath time kiddos."

They headed upstairs and Meredith drew the bath and Derek undressed Cooper and Kaylee.

"We still have the rest of his presents to open." Derek says.

"Didn't Jackson and Jas get through them all?"

"No they didn't. There is only a few to open anyway."

"Oh well that can be what we do before we go to bed."

"Are you going to read the journals?"

"Maybe. I guess I should."

"It is your choice."

"I just don't believe Richard when he says that she was proud of me."

"Well you are going to have to read to find out."

"I guess."

The kids were soon bathed and dressed and Kaylee took herself to bed and read her own story while Meredith fed Cooper. Derek was cleaning up downstairs.

"Hopefully you enjoyed your day little man. You only have a first birthday once." She tells him. "Do you think I should read the journals? I don't know if I should. I guess it will bring some closure in the dead mummy thing."

Cooper's eyes were starting to close and she knew that he wouldn't be playing his trains tonight. She finished feeding him and got him to sleep, tucked him in and kissed his forehead before leaving the nursery. She headed downstairs and opened the rest of his presents and looked at all the gear he collected.

"Hey you ready for bed?" Derek asks poking his head in the door.

"Can we just sit for a while?"

"Of course we can." He says sitting on the lounge.

Meredith disappears and comes back to sit beside Derek. He notices her holding the black journal.

"I need you to be here to read these with me."

"Sure Mer. Anything."

She took a deep breath. "Okay. This is from the time she was pregnant with me." She says opening the book.

"August the 8th 1992. I am 7 months pregnant and I found out I was having a girl today. The girl I am going to name Meredith. When Thatcher is asleep at night I like to lay there and feel the movement of my baby girl. She is active at night and I just lay there with a smile on my face. I admitted to Thatcher the moment I found out I was pregnant that I wanted an abortion. I am so glad he convinced me not to get one. I don't tell him this though because of the negative views I had to becoming a mother and trying for a baby but when I feel you kicking me I just know that this was something right. Baby girl I want to let you know that if I don't show love towards you it's because it's the way I am. I find it hard to show love to someone but baby girl I love you and your kicks and the fluttering feeling you give me. I also apologise in advance if life is crappy for you. It will get better even if I make it hell. I am your mother and I will love you from wherever I am and whatever you do. I love you baby girl and I know that there is only a few short months when you will be in my arms. Night baby girl. I will see you soon."

"Well she admitted that she did want you. She has loved you ever since she could feel you insider her."

"I guess she did."

"Meredith you have nothing to worry about. Just keep reading and you will see what she has said about you."

"Well the next entry is from the next day. She updated these almost every day. No wonder she has a billion of them."

"Do you want to take them upstairs and you can keep reading to me."

"Sure." She says reading the next entry.

Derek grabbed the box and Meredith followed him up the stairs. She sat on the edge of the bed and finished reading the entry.

"What's this one about?"

"Thatcher was harassing her about other names. She was strongly supporting Meredith. That lead to a huge fight and Mum leaving to go to work. She came home that night to Thatcher who was calm and told her that he loved the name Meredith. He just wants her to show her excitement."

"Yeah like that would happen."

"She told him that she was excited. She was just keeping it hidden until the baby was safely delivered." She says looking up. "She lied to him about how excited she was."

"Well I was excited with both the kids. I just hid some of that excitement for when they were delivered safely."

"And they were." Meredith says setting the journal down. "That reminds me we have a few entries to add to our journals."

"I will add while you change."

"Don't forget to write the quote just after his birthday party. I want them to know that we will always be with them."

**What'd you think? Let me know. **

**I threw the journals in there for a reason. It was just like the other journals but these ones are to let Meredith know a lot more about her life and her mothers feelings. The chapters that I have already written will sometimes mention stories from her life. It lets us know a little more.**

**Anyway, let me know what you thought and the next one will involve Meredith's first day as an intern.**


	67. It Will Be Fine

That morning the alarm woke the two of them up at 5. They had been out the night before drinking at the intern mixer.

"God why did we have to go out drinking?" She says snuggling into Derek.

"It was your choice. We could have been home at a reasonable hour but no you to keep buying."

"You could have stopped me."

"Well I wanted to take advantage of you before I rarely get the chance to see you."

"This was you this time last year." She says smiling.

"I know and Coopie was just a week old. " Derek says. "Come on you have to get ready to be out the door."

"Yeah whatever boss." She says getting out of bed heading to the shower.

Derek just laid there and looked up at the ceiling. "And it begins."

Derek wasn't due at the hospital until 6 so he stayed in bed for a little while longer. Meredith came out from the shower.

"How do I look?"

"Well those clothes will be replaced with scrubs very soon but beautiful."

"Thank you." She says placing a pair of shoes on her feet. "Okay I'm all good. There are bottles of expressed Milk in the fridge to put in Cooper's bag for the crèche. God I wish I got to drop him off."

"You can go and visit him later today. So grab your gear and go. I will see you around."

"Have fun teaching." She says kissing him on the lips.

"Oh I will."

"Okay bye."

"Bye. Good luck and remember to breathe."

Meredith left the room with a smile. She kissed Cooper and Kaylee goodbye before climbing into the car and driving to the hospital.

She arrived at the hospital and met up with everyone else for the tour. Richard smiled at her when she joined the group and continued on with his talk. Before she knew it she was in the locker room at her locker and filing it with her stuff and placing pictures on the inside of the door.

"There is only 6 girls. Can you believe it. 14 boys to compete with." Cristina says.

"Hey you are competitive and beside he said that only two would make it."

"That doesn't leave much hope." Izzie says.

"Hey your supposed to be the optimistic one not the sad one. You are supposed to tell us that it is going to be fine." Meredith says.

"Yeah well I don't know." She says leaving the locker room.

Cristina, George, Alex and Meredith follow her out of the locker room.

"That's the Nazi?" Cristina says as they walk towards a small woman. "I thought she would be a Nazi."

She turns and sees her 5 interns. She looks at them all and has a longer look at Meredith.

"I have five rules, memories them."

…

Derek arrived at the hospital. He had his bag over his shoulder and the kids crèche bag. Kaylee in one hand, Cooper in the other. He let Kaylee press the buttons to go to the crèche. On the way up the doors opened and Meredith walked in with Cristina, Izzie, George, Alex and Dr Bailey.

"Mummy." Kaylee says.

She looks at Derek and smiles. "Hi baby girl." Meredith says bending down to hug her.

"Dr Bailey." Derek says greeting the resident.

"Dr Shepherd."

"I've got to go baby girl. I will see later okay. Have fun today." Meredith tells her daughter. "You too Cooper."

The elevator came to a halt again.

"Dr Grey if you are ready to begin again."

"Yes sorry." She says following her resident from the elevator.

Derek dropped both kids off and headed to the residents lounge. He changed into his scrubs and went to see how Hollie was doing. He headed to the NICU and found her out of the incubator and also found Kelly sitting at the baby's side.

"Hi Kelly."

"Dr Shepherd. Long-time no see."

"Yeah I know. I am now a 2nd year resident."

"Good on you."

"How's Hollie doing?"

"Yeah good. They are going to let her go home today. She just has to pass the car seat test and all those other things?"

"Where's Hope?"

"With my sister. She came to visit and help out."

"Well I will come by soon to see you home. I better go and do my job."

She just smiles at him as Derek leaves the room.

…

An incoming had arrived. Katie Bryce a 16 year old female who was the definition of a spoilt-pain-in-the-arse. She had seizures for some unknown reason and Meredith had become her cruise director and listened to her complain about missing her beauty pageant.

"Katie's parents have question do you talk to them all do I get Burke." She asked Bailey.

"Burke is off the case. Katie belongs to Dr Nelson." She says. "He is over there. With your husband."

She says pointing towards Derek and Dr Nelson. Meredith walks over to them and Derek smiles at her but stops smiling when he remembers what Meredith and him agreed on.

"Dr Nelson. I have a 16 year old female with seizures and her parents have questions that I don't know how to answer."

"Dr?"

"Grey. Meredith Grey.

"Are you Dr Ellis Grey's daughter?"

"Yeah I am."

"Well let's see how great you really are." He says signing over a chart. "Let's walk and talk. Have you met Dr Shepherd here?"

"We know each other. We were school friends."

"Well that's one less thing to do. What room is she in?"

"1087."

They head towards Katie's room, Nelson reads her chart and Derek just keeps looking at her.

"Dr Grey are you married at all or have children?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering if you are going to be distracted with other personal problems."

"Well I am very on my game."

"I noticed a ring on your finger."

"Yeah I am married but I won't be distracted."

"Dr Shepherd what about you. I see you sporting a ring."

"Yeah I am married as well."

He continues reading the chart and Derek drags her into the stairwell.

"Dr Shepherd remember what we talked about."

"Yes Dr Grey I do."

"Well you have to abide by those rules for a while. We have a strictly work relationship at work. Dr Bailey knows we are married but I don't think she approves of it as much as what Richard does. I don't want people to know that we are married with kids. Even though some already do. I just don't want the interns thinking I have an unfair advantage."

"Yeah you do. That shouldn't be a problem."

"Yes that's not the point. We are married. Dr Nelson just questioned us."

"Yeah well he is very different. He is head of Neuro but I will be head of Neuro one day."

"But still Derek. Can we do the work thing here and the married thing at home?"

"Sure but if you get a spare minute page me. I'll meet you in an on call room." He says leaving the stairwell and leaving her smiling.

Lunch soon came and Meredith went and sat at the cafeteria.

"Katie Bryce is the biggest pain in the arse." She says.

The fellow interns just look at her before their eyes meet Dr Burke.

"It's posted but I thought I would share the good news, each year a intern gets to scrub in on a surgery with the on call attending. Congratulations O'Malley. I'll meet you in OR 1 at 3." He says leaving the cafeteria.

"Did he say me?" George asks with a mouthful of food.

"Yeah he did." Izzie answers annoyed.

"I'm going to sneak up to the crèche. I'll see you guys around." Meredith says quietly picking up her water.

The crèche had kids everywhere and a lot of new faces for the New Year. She greeted Sasha and went to find Cooper. Kaylee was off distracted. She found Cooper in the toddler room. He had finally been promoted up to the next room and was playing with a train on the foam mats.

"Coopie." Meredith says sitting down beside him.

He looks up at his mum smiling and stands up jumping into her arms. "Mumma."

"Hey beautiful boy. I miss you." She says holding him tightly. "What have you been up to?"

He moves from her arms and points to the train.

"You've been playing trains all day. Oh you really are liking them." She says. "You're looking tired. How about I feed you and you can have a nap?"

He goes back into her arms and she picks him up and goes to the nursery and finds a chair to nurse him. Derek came up to the crèche to sit with the kids for a while. When he saw Meredith nursing Cooper he came and kissed her and asked about her day so far. She finally got Cooper to sleep and headed down to watch George in the OR and heard the other interns placing bets on him.

All the interns sat watching him. They were all placing bets about him.

"50 says he can pull the whole thing off." She says and looks up at everyone else. "That's one of us down there. The first one of us."

"100 on a code brown right in his pants." One of them says.

"I'll take that action." Izzie says.

George started the surgery and was going great until he stuffed up and the patient started bleeding and he couldn't control it. He was kicked out of surgery.

"His 007."

"Yeah 007."

"What does 007 mean?" Izzie asks.

"License to kill." She tells her.

…

12 hours into their shift they sat in their newfound hang out. Cristina, Izzie and George were with her.

"There calling me 007."

"No one is calling you 007." Izzie and Cristina say at the same time.

"Well I was in the elevator and I heard Murphy whisper 007 then there was laughter."

"George no one is calling you 007."

"Yeah whatever."

Meredith's pager sounded. This was the second time Katie had paged her 911. So instead of running she walked to her room. When she gets to the hallway she sees the crash team running to Katie's room. She runs to Katie's room and sees Katie seizing and she freezes.

"Dr Grey what are you going to do?" A nurse asks.

Meredith just stands there watching Katie seizing.

"Dr Grey."

She reaches for the chart. "Have you paged Bailey, Nelson and Shepherd?"

"What do you want to do?"

"Have you paged Nelson, Bailey and Shepherd?"

"Yes but they haven't answered."

"Page them again."

"Code blue. Code blue." Is all that Meredith hears.

She grabs the paddles and shocks her for a first time then again for a second.

"Charge again."

"After 60 seconds you have to administer another drug."

"Charge again."

She shocks her again and she wakes up.

"What happened?" Derek asks entering the room.

"She seized and then she coded."

"She coded. Weren't you supposed to be watching her?" He asks. "Go, just go."

She couldn't believe that he husband was saying this to her. She backed away from the room with a nauseous feeling and walked past Bailey.

"When you get paged you page me immediately not the 5 minutes it takes you to get there. Here me Grey?" She asks. "Dr Grey."

Meredith just walks as fast as she can to the front of the hospital. She reaches a tree and just throws up and turns back around and sees Cristina.

"Not a word of this to anyone." She says as she goes to find Derek.

She didn't know why she wanted to find him but she just needed to. She found him on the paediatrics floor and in the nursery. He was talking to a woman and a small girl. She realised that this was Kelly and Hope. She watched as Derek was hugged goodbye and the woman pick up a capsule and leave the nursery with her daughter's.

"Are they finally going home?" She asks.

Derek turns and looks at his wife. "Yeah they are. A new life in New York City." She just looks at him and he walks towards her and pulls her into his arms. "I'm sorry. Heat of the moment. I didn't mean to yell at you."

"Its fine. I'm an intern. This is the normal thing for us."

"But I shouldn't yell at my wife."

"We did make a deal though. We have a strictly work relationship. You are allowed to yell."

"But I don't want to yell at you." He says kissing her forehead. "Anyway I'm going home with the kids. Come with me to put them in the car."

They collect the kids and she carries Cooper in her arms and Derek has Kaylee. They stand in the elevator and Dr Bailey walks inside.

"I know that you are married and have the kids. I was there that day when Dr Webber and your mother found out you were pregnant with your little girl. I have seen you in the hospital with your kids visiting Dr Shepherd. You are going to get judged and hate from the other interns because they don't know anything about you. I would just be careful around them all because nothing spreads faster in this hospital then gossip. Just be careful." She says getting out of the elevator.

"It will be fine." He says.

…

Derek headed to work earlier today. He had kids in tow and dropped them off to meet Dr Nelson.

Meredith had woken in the on call room. The bed was unflattering and uncomfortable and Derek wasn't there to hold her. She didn't get to wake to the kids either which made her upset. She pulled her hair into a messy ponytail and was on a mission to see the kids but all residents and interns were dragged into the conference room.

"Katie Bryce is becoming a mystery. I don't know what to look for and what to tell her parents. I am giving you all the chance to come up with a diagnosis for Katie and you will be scrubbing in with Dr Shepherd and myself." Dr Nelson says.

"Do you want to work together? If we both find a diagnosis then we have a 50/50 chance of scrubbing in." Cristina says turning to her.

"How are you going without the kids?"

"Alright, I am focussing on medicine at the moment."

Cristina throws more medical terms her way.

"Why?"

Meredith distracts her with an answer of medical terms.

"Because I miss them like crazy and Derek and I are having this no interaction thing."

"It isn't a tumour is it?"

"No."

"Is it because of the other interns and how jealous they will get of you?"

"Yeah because I know that is when all the stories are going to start."

"It will be fine." Cristina reassures her.

"Do you want to know what Katie's talent is?"

"They have a talent?"

"Rhythmic gymnastics." She says. "Yeah I can't even say it let alone do I know what it is."

"I think is has something to do with a ball and."

"I think I know what is wrong with her. Come on."

They race out of the library to find Dr Nelson. They find him getting on the elevator with Derek.

"Dr Nelson. Katie competes in beauty pageants."

"Yes I know."

What is the chance of Katie having an aneurism?"

"I checked for that it didn't show up."

"Katie fell and twisted her ankle could that have anything to do with." Meredith says. "She fell it was only minor she got back up and iced it. The fall was so minor her Dr didn't even tell me when I was taking her history."

"Do you know the chances of that? 1 in a million."

The doors close and they start walking off. The doors open and Nelson and Derek get out.

"Let's see if Katie is 1 in a million."

The scans show up.

"Look at that. A subarachnoid aneurysm. It's so small. One tap in the right place and she could of been dead." He tells them. "I would love to stay and kiss your arses but I have parents to talk to."

Nelson starts leaving the room.

"You said if one of us finds it we could scrub in." Cristina says.

"Yes I did. I would love to take both of you. Dr Shepherd you can choose someone to scrub in with me."

Derek just looks dumfounded. He doesn't know how to choose between his wife and good friend.

Dr Grey OR 2." Derek says.

Cristina just looks at Meredith and gives her a dirty.

"Cristina."

She just storms off.

She gives her 15 minutes to herself and goes down to the tunnel. She is sitting on the bed next to Izzie.

"I will go and tell him to choose you Cristina."

"You know what I don't get picked for things because I have a famous mother and step father and because I am married to the next Neuro god. You know what just leave."

Meredith turns on her heel and leaves.

…

She is walking towards Katie's room where she finds Dr Shepherd.

"Why did you pick me because we are married?"

"Yes." He says. "No I didn't. You have been Katie's doctor from the very beginning. You earned this."

"You should pick Cristina. She really wants this."

"Meredith you have earned this. So please don't think because we are married and have kids together get in the way of me choosing you."

She leaves her room and goes to get something to eat before she scrubs in.

...

When the surgery is over she is sitting down on the chair just inside of the ICU wing. Derek walked through the doors and sat beside her.

"That was amazing." She says. "I'm like on a high. I don't know why people do drugs."

He just smiles at her.

"You practice on cadavers and you never think that just after graduating you will be seeing one."

"I know." He says smiling at her and placing his hand on her leg. She smiles back.

"I'm going to go and get the kids and head home." He tells her and kisses her cheek. "You did great."

"Thank you." She says. "I will see you later."

He gets up from the chair and leaves her sitting there with a smile spread across her face.

She had soon finished her shift and changed and left the hospital doors with George, Izzie, Cristina and Alex.

"How great was that." George says.

"007 you almost killed someone today. I wouldn't be cheering." Alex says.

"Shut up Alex."

"You guys want to come over to mine and have breakfast and just chill out?" Izzie asks.

"Yeah sure."

"I'm not. I am going to see my babies and my husband."

"You're no fun since you became a mother."

"Hey I am still fun I just have responsibilities. Besides I want to see them very badly especially Derek."

"Why Derek?" George asks.

"Because we have a professional work relationship here just so the others don't get suspicious."

"Well enjoy hiding that." Izzie says.

"Bye guys." She says climbing into her car.

She pulls up outside the house. It is just 6.30 now. She climbs out of the car and heads inside. Derek was up making coffee for himself and for her.

"Hey." She says.

"Hey you. How was your first shift?"

"Good. Great. I loved it."

"I knew you would."

"What time do you have to go in?"

"In about 5 minutes." He says.

"Well that was a lot of time to see each other."

"Yeah well at least we did see each other." He says kissing her. "I will be home tonight not late."

"Good because I want you in my arms quite badly."

"Yeah me too." He says agreeing. "I better be going."

"Okay well see you later tonight."

"Yes. You enjoy your day off." He says grabbing his keys and leaving the house.

Meredith walks up the stairs to her bedroom. She just crashes on the bed and lays there.

"Mummy." She hears as the door opens.

"Hey baby girl."

"Your home." Kaylee says with happiness in her voice as she jumps up beside Meredith.

"Yeah I am. Did you miss me?" Meredith asks wrapping her arms around her.

"Yes mummy. It was very different."

"I know. It will work out soon I promise."

"Good because I didn't like spending most of the day at the crèche."

"I'm sorry about that. It will change I promise but you get to spend a lot of time with daddy."

"Yeah I do." She says. "It was like last year I was spending everyday with you and rarely saw daddy and now it has changed."

"Yes it has. We just have to wait a few months for this routine to settle in and we will organise something better."

"Mummy will you miss daddy not being home a lot?"

"Yeah I will. I will also miss you and Coopie."

"Guess what Coopie did last night and the night before?"

"What did he do?"

"Well daddy brought him into my room to read a story both nights and he fell asleep in my bed."

"He must have been worn out."

"Well daddy left him in my room and he slept the whole night with me and didn't wake up once. I think he might have missed you."

"I'm glad he slept throughout the night. He might like sleeping with his big sister, to keep him safe."

"Well I watched him and made sure he was fine."

Meredith just smiled at her. She then heard footsteps coming into the bedroom.

"Mumma."

"Coopie."

He runs to the side Meredith is at and she can see him smiling his toothy smile. Meredith picks him up and lays him down on her body.

"I missed you baby." She says kissing his forehead. "Do you like sleeping with Kay in the bed?"

"Ya."

"You do. Does she keep you safe?"

"Ya."

"Did you miss mummy?"

"Ya."

"Do you love me?"

"Ya."

Meredith just smiles.

"Well guess what you get to spend the whole day with me today."

**So first day was easy. Easier than what it is going to become, especially with the fellow interns. **

**Next chapter though is Derek's birthday.**

**Please read and review.**


	68. I Will Miss You Too Much

5 o'clock the alarm sounded. Derek switched it off and snuggled into Meredith.

"Happy birthday." She murmurs.

"Thank you beautiful." He says kissing her shoulder. "What time do you have to be at work by?"

"Same time as you."

"Well we better get a move on." He says.

Meredith climbs on top of him and kisses him.

"What are you doing?" He asks.

"Well it's your birthday. I am just making your morning special. Quickies always make you happy."

"How about a quickie in the shower?" He asks.

She doesn't say anything but she smiles and he sits up and they go to the shower.

They woke the kids up and got them fed and dressed and went to the hospital. Derek took the kids up to the crèche.

Meredith joined her resident and other interns. She was hoping for a non-stressful day and was on charting and running labs. She thought that it was good considering she wanted to get home early today. She had been an intern for a week and she was enjoying it. It was stressful and she barely made it home to see the kids but she was managing. Derek and her were managing.

She sat at one of the nurses stations and charted.

"What are you doing Dr Grey?" Derek asks her.

"I am charting Dr Shepherd. Did you need me for something?"

"Yes I did. Would you follow me please?"

Meredith gathered her charts and followed Derek.

"Where are we going?"

"Just wait and you will see."

Derek led her to an on call room on one of the quietest floors. The on call room was soon occupied by the two of them. He locked the door and pinned her up on the door and started kissing her neck.

"Derek what are our rules. It hasn't been a month yet."

"Well I was not doing anything interesting and you weren't. No one even saw us and charting is one job when no one looks for you."

"Fine this better be the best sex you have given me."

"Hey it's my birthday. It should be the other way around." He says pulling her to the bed kissing her and taking her clothes off.

"So that means I'm on top if you want it that way." She says rolling him onto his back.

"Well that is the way I want it." He says with his smile.

They lay in each other's arms. It was quiet in here and it felt as though outside that door nothing mattered. In this room it was just about the two of them and their cocoon of warmth, love, laughter and life. All that mattered in this room at this moment was just them two and the way he held Meredith and looked at her. She was all that mattered in his life along with the kids but right now it was all about him and her.

"I should probably get back to my charting." She says.

"It can wait another few minutes." He says kissing her.

"We broke our rule."

"Oh well. It will have people talking about something other than that pregnant nurse who has been pregnant for 7 months it is the only thing they talk about."

"So we can be what people talk about?" She asks.

"Yes we can. We can be what the rumour mill is over." He says as he kisses her again. One of the pager sounds and Derek leans over her to grab it. He continues to kiss her but checks it. "It's mine. My labs are ready."

He jumps up from the bed and dresses. He kisses her one last time.

"I'll see you around." He says kissing her again. "I might even meet up here again if your day is slow."

He smiles at her as he leaves. She dresses into her clothes and gathers her charts and leaves the room. She goes down to the cafeteria and charts down there.

"Dr Grey."

She turns to see Dr Roach walking towards her.

"Hi Dr Roach."

"How's your first week been?"

"It's been good. I've seen a lot of interesting things but I suppose it's time to do the crap job but I'm not complaining because I want to be out early tonight so we can go to dinner."

"Right it's your husband's birthday today."

"Yeah it is." She says.

"How are you two handling the married thing?"

"Well we are trying for a strictly professional work relationship until everything settles down. We know that most people here know we are married but not the interns I am here with."

"Well people shouldn't be allowed to have an opinion. If they don't have anything nice to say then they shouldn't say anything at all."

"Yeah that should be the way things are but you get a lot of nurses who love to gossip and make your life hell." He tells her. "Anyway don't let it get to you the nurses just have very boring lives." He says getting up and leaving the table.

"Thank you Dr Roach." She says as he leaves.

Derek had collected his labs after leaving Meredith and stood at the nurses' station filling out paperwork. The nurses and the interns always talked about Derek and he knew this because he could feel eyes on him and he saw conversations stop completely when he got to the desks.

Meredith had arrived at the desk to do some paperwork and he smiled at her. Jordan and Leslie, the interns were at the desk this time and their backs were turned towards him and her and they had no idea of the company.

"He does have a wife. She works here." Jordan says.

"Who's his wife? You would expect to see the two of them together. I mean how can you not be with your husband all day long. His hair and his eyes. I mean he is one for the money. She is a fool for not hanging off him like a lost puppy. I would certainly be hanging off him." Leslie says to Jordan while Meredith looks at Derek with panic in her eyes and he just gives her a look to ignore them.

"Rhonda said that he is married to Dr Grey." She says to her.

"She doesn't deserve someone like him. I mean she is Ellis Grey's daughter. Her mother is a legend and apparently a bitch. You wouldn't expect someone as sweet and caring as him to marry someone like her. She seems like a bitch."

"You can't say that. You don't know their history. Cut her some slack. She is really nice."

"No because she has the respect already." She says. "They are married with kids. She is what only 22 and has 2 kids already. She must have not been very educated on using contraceptives."

"Well his kids are just the cutest. They are mini McDreamy's. That is another turn on. He's a family man. Who cares if they are young parents? You used to snort cocaine. I think that as a worst thing then being a young parent."

"God why'd you have to bring that up." Leslie says before leaving.

The other intern follows her. Derek looks at Meredith and he can see how pissed off she is.

"Hey don't listen to them. She has snorted too much drugs to be a nice human being."

"They don't know anything and they shouldn't judge people before they know who they really are." She says as she takes off.

"Mer." Derek calls after her.

"Is she okay?" Richard asks.

"She is annoyed at some of the other interns. Two of them were just saying things about us while we stood right behind them."

"It's the rumour mill. It is something that gets people through the day." Richard tells him. "And Meredith is Meredith. I have known her since she was a baby and she may as well be my biological daughter. I know when she takes things to heart when she really shouldn't. She is stressed, tired. She has started a new job, she's in a new environment. She is also not with her kids. She is still feeding Cooper and it is a little overwhelming. She needs to let it out with a cry and a good rest."

"I know. It's just a pain in the arse when people bitch about you for the wrong reasons."

"That is called life." He says.

"Are you still coming out for dinner tonight?"

"Yes I am. That's what I also came to see you about. I was going to let you have the afternoon off to spend with the kids. I specifically had you not assigned to anything major. So at 3 go home with the kids and spend a few hours with them before dinner tonight."

"Thanks."

"Now you better go and find her." He says. "Go down to the tunnels. She should be down there."

Derek leaves the floor and goes down to the tunnels. Richard did know her like a daughter and he knew when she was upset and took things to heart. He knew that better than Derek did. And he was right. Meredith was sitting on one of the beds in the tunnels and he heard the sniffles. He sat beside her and wrapped and arm around her back and she fell into his chest crying.

"Hey it's okay." He says rubbing circles over her back trying to soothe her. "They are just idiots high on crack." He says. "They must have done a lot of paint sniffing as well." He kisses the top of her head. "Are you okay?"

She sat up right and looked at him with a smile. "I'm great."

"Come here." He says as he pulls her in for an embrace. "Richard said we can go home at 3 today. Spend some time with the kids. He purposely made us do charting."

"He is my dad. He would do everything he can for his daughter."

Derek pulled her from the embrace to look at her. "After 8 years that is the first time I heard you call him your dad."

"Well he is. He stuck by me for all those years I didn't have a dad. He's my dad. I love him more than anything."

"Well he loves you like a daughter. He knew you would be down here and he knows that you take things to heart sometimes but only when you are stressed and tired and in a new environment is when these things happen."

"Well he's my dad. He knows these things."

"Better than me."

"Yes well this is a new experience and I am really stressed out and tired. I take things to heart."

"Are you missing the kids as well?"

She doesn't say anything and looks down at her lap. "Is it weird that I really am? I mean really, really, really am missing them?"

"No its not. You used to spend the whole day with the kids. You are a mother and you are still feeding Cooper. You are allowed to feel depressed about not having them by your side. You're a mother and that is the way they should feel especially when they have babies."

"Cooper isn't a baby?"

"He is still classed as one. He is a toddler but you're still feeding him. You have that bond with him through that."

"Can I tell you something?"

"You can tell me anything."

"I am still feeding Cooper because I knew that this would be stressful and I knew that I would miss a lot of time with him and if we started him on formula I would not have that time to bond with him. It would feel as though he was not my baby. I still feed him because I want to bond with him."

"You should have told me that. I would support that choice. It is the best way to connect with him."

"I love feeding him as well. It relaxes me so much and I feel closer to him."

"Well it's a cheaper alternative." He says smiling at her.

They sat with each other for a few hours just talking. It was 3 so they changed their clothes and went up to the crèche. Kaylee playing with the other kids and Cooper as soon as he saw his mummy ran towards her. She bent down and picked him up and kissed him.

"Hey baby boy. I missed you like crazy." She tells him. "Let's go home and spend some time with daddy and me."

They left with the kids and got down to the car without any looks and gossip. Derek stayed downstairs with Cooper while Meredith and Kaylee went to grab Derek's presents.

"Here you go daddy. Happy birthday." Kaylee says handing him the presents and sitting beside him.

"Thank you sweetie." Derek says to her. "Do you want to help me open it?"

"Sure daddy."

Kaylee helps with the wrapping paper and he opens a frame filled with photos of him and the kids.

"This is from Cooper and me daddy." She says. "I hope you like it."

"It is beautiful. Thank you." He says kissing her and then Cooper.

"It's all the best photos and moments that you have had with them." Meredith says.

"It's great. I really love it."

"Kaylee read your card out to daddy."

She opens the card and shares with him her card she made. "Dear daddy. You are the best daddy in the world because you do all my favourite things with me. You sing, you dance, you play, you dress up and you be silly with me. You are the best daddy in the world. I wish that you could spend all day with me but you save people's lives and make other people feel better. I think that that is a gift. I want to become a doctor like you because you inspire me to be me and make people feel better. So does mummy. I love you daddy and I will love you no matter what. You're my daddy and my hero. I love you to the moon and back. Happy birthday. Kaylee Sofia Shepherd." She says.

"I love you with all my heart and you become whatever you want to become." He says hugging her.

"I want to be a doctor daddy because you make other little girls daddies feel better so they can watch their daughters grow up."

"Well you do that. You change the world. You become a legend like your mummy will be."

"And become a rock star like your daddy is." Meredith says to her.

"Okay I will be." She says smiling. "Mummy helped me write the card out because there were a lot of big words in there and my writing isn't very good yet."

"That's okay. It came from the heart and that's all that matters. It could be written in blood on a stone and it would still have the same meaning."

"That's something else I love about you. You make everything I do seem okay."

"Okay. I make it feel awesome. Amazing. I make you feel like a person who belongs and someone very special. I make everyone I love feel special."

"Trust him Kaylee. It's true. He makes me feel special every single day."

"Well he has to. He is your husband and he has to make you feel special mummy."

Meredith and Derek smile at each other. Their daughter knew exactly what they meant. She was a smart girl. She picked up on everything they did and said. Everyone was equal.

"How about we watch a movie?" Derek says.

"You have one more present to open daddy."

Meredith hands him the present and he reads the car and smiles at her. "You're welcome." She says.

Kaylee helps him with the paper and he opens new shirts and cologne and also a trip to the day spa for the two of them.

"Thank you."

"No worries. There is more to come but not very appropriate for the ears and eyes of our children."

"Well I knew that was coming. It always does." He says.

"You just made that sound very bad."

"I know. I meant to."

"I could wring your neck some days."

"Yeah I know." He says. "Kaylee go and pick a movie."

Meredith took Kaylee's seat.

"You have full control of everything tonight." She whispers in his ear. "I mean anything."

"If I had my ways I would have you naked right now."

"You would always want to have me naked."

Kaylee came back and sat beside Derek. Meredith decided to feed Cooper and they watched a movie together.

Both kids were soon asleep. Meredith laid Cooper down and draped a blanket over his body and Kaylee's. Derek and her disappeared upstairs to the privacy of their own room.

"Do I get my present now?" He asks with a seductive smile.

"Well that depends." She says moving to his arms. "If you want your present now or later tonight."

"Well that is a hard question. I guess tonight but I would love so lovin' right now."

"Some lovin'? Well sure thing but since you want control of the bed tonight I get to do whatever you want right now."

"That sounds good enough to me." He says pulling her down onto the bed.

…

They had gotten dressed and ready and went downstairs to find the kids waking up. They had the kids dressed and downstairs just about ready to leave.

"I don't want to leave you." She says as she burst into tears. Meredith stands beside her doing her hair.

"Why are you going to leave us?" Derek asks.

"I'm not going to leave you." She says in tears again.

"Why not?" Derek asks.

"I'm really not."

"Oh really." He says. "Why did you think you were going to leave us?"

"Because I don't want to marry anybody."

"You don't want to marry anybody?"

"No I don't want to marry anybody."

"You don't want to marry anybody? Why not. What about Sam."

"I just don't want to."

"What happens if you do get married?"

"I won't live with you anymore." She says covering her reddened face with her hands. Derek and Meredith share a smile.

"Is that right?"

She just nods her head. She could barely talk anymore.

"Oh Kaylee. Give mummy a hug." Meredith says pulling her into her arms.

"Yes." She says sniffling.

"Why do you want to stay with mummy and I?"

"Because if I leave you I will miss you too much." She says with tear filled eyes. "I don't ever want to leave you."

Meredith and Derek share a smile.

"Hey it won't be that bad Sam will take care of you." Meredith tells her.

"Yes it will because you won't be with me every day." She says looking at both her parents.

"Oh Kaylee." Meredith says wrapping her arms around her. "How about we wait a while and then you can decide if you want to marry Sam?"

She nods her head and Derek kisses the top of her head.

"Come on let's go and tell Sam that you broke his heart." Derek says leaving the room.

"Mummy will Sam be mad at me?"

"I don't know sweetie." Meredith says helping her put her coat on. "You are going to have to see."

Kaylee stands at the door. You could definitely tell she had been crying. Meredith bent down to her and kissed the top of her head. She hugged her again.

"It will be okay. When the time comes the time comes. You won't have to marry about that for a long time." She tells her wiping away the tears that still fell.

Meredith picked her up and carried her to the car and buckled her in. She smiled at her and then Kaylee smiled back. Meredith kissed her again and climbed into the front seat.

They arrived at the restaurant. Not everyone was there yet.

"Happy birthday Derek." His mother said walking over to him and kissing his cheek.

"Thanks Ma."

"Nanna." Cooper says holding his arms out to her and she takes him into her arms.

The adults all shared a look of realisation. He had finally said Nanna. Meredith kissed his cheek.

"You are getting good with your words baby."

"Yes you are Coopie."

"Ta Mumma and dada."

"Now you're just showing off." Meredith says to him.

They greet Amelia, Alice and her boyfriend Brad. Kathleen was also there with John and the kids.

They had Cooper in his highchair besides Meredith and everyone else soon arrived.

"Sorry we are late." They said all apologising.

"Hey its fine. Being a doctor comes first. Being a parent to a newborn baby comes first and relying on your father for a lift when he is chief of surgery is always a tough one." Derek says to everyone. "Take a seat."

"And I will buy everyone a drink." Richard says.

Nancy sat opposite Meredith with Zach in the baby sling.

"Derek, Steph and Dan can't make." She tells him.

"That is fine. They have triplets who aren't even a month old yet. It is quite stressful bringing them out." He says kissing her.

Dinner went by smoothly and everyone enjoyed themselves and the company.

Meredith had disappeared into the kitchen and came out with the cake lit.

"Happy birthday to you." She says getting everyone started.

"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to Derek. Happy birthday to you."

Derek had blown out the candles and cut the cake.

"Hey Mer you better get you son before he splits his head open." Cristina says to her.

Meredith turns to see Cooper almost asleep and about to pass out in his highchair. She grabs him from the chair and changes him to his pyjamas and starts feeding him.

"I would like to say a few things." Mark says standing up.

"Here we go." Meredith whispers to Nancy who had started to feed Zach.

"Derek I would like to say that you are greatest best friend you could ever ask for. You wife is great as well and I love when she takes her boobs out." He says.

"Mark." Everyone says at the same time.

"I'm just kidding. Enjoying being 23 because before you know it you will be 30 and having your midlife crisis." Mark says sitting down.

"Thanks Mark." Derek says. "Anyway I would just like to thank you all for coming out tonight and celebrating this day with me and my family. Hopefully you had a good night and stick by me in 7 years when I have my midlife crisis. Especially you Mer." He says smiling down at Meredith.

Everyone soon left and Meredith and Derek got the kids into bed. They lay in bed, Meredith curled into Derek's chest.

"Will you stick by me with this so called midlife crisis?" He asks.

"Well it would be a bit scary if you had one as soon as you turned 30." She says drawing circles over his shirted chest. "Just think we will be married for 9 years when we turn 30. I might drive you towards this midlife crisis."

"You never could. You have your days but that's what I love about you."

"Well you stuck by me during my pregnancies so yeah I'll stick by you during your midlife crisis." She says smiling at him.

"Yeah I did. You weren't as moody as my sisters."

"I know which is weird. I was moody though."

"Hey let's not bring that up, especially with Kaylee's pregnancy. A lot of stuff happened."

"Yeah a lot did."

"Anyway that was in the past. We are living our future."

"Do you want your birthday present?" She asks.

She didn't even have to hear his answer. He had her pinned underneath him in less than a second.

**Let me know your thoughts and please review.**

**The rumour mill has already started, Meredith shouldn't let it get to her but what her fellow interns say to her, who couldn't ignore what they say.**

**I shall update soon.**


	69. From Cradle To Grave

Meredith stood at her locker that morning. Not moving. It was the day after Derek's birthday and her work day yesterday had made her annoyed and angry. She now stood in front of her locker and heard the gossiping revolve around her and said behind her back while she was in the room. She was even more pissed that they were talking about her while she was in the room.

"Hey Mer." Cristina says sitting on the bench. "You're not dressed yet. We have rounds in like 2 minutes. Step up your game and get organised because she will have a go at you for being late."

She opened her locker and took her scrubs out and started to dress.

"She told someone to jump in front of a bus and then the next day the girl shot up the whole school."

"What are they talking about?"

"I don't know." She lies slipping her shoes on her feet and her jacket.

"Grey, Yang. Rounds started."

"Sorry Dr Bailey." Cristina says leaving the locker room.

"Well she was shot at as well. Her best friend jumped in front of her because she was pregnant."

Meredith filled her pockets with her stethoscope and notebook and left the locker room. Bailey stayed in there for a few extra seconds to hear what they were talking about.

"That day she was shot at. Her mother found out about the baby and kicked her out of home along with her siblings."

Bailey shakes her head knowing who they are talking about. She found her interns and they started rounds.

"Grey present." Bailey says.

"What." She says. "Yeah right. Greg Luka, 53. Was admitted last night with abdominal pains." She stutters out. "He has had problems with his liver… and has had the um… dead portion removed 2 years ago and um… and replaced with a donor. He has been in and out of dialysis for the past 6 months because the liver has started to be rejected from the body. He is in for a new liver transplant."

Bailey looks at her with sympathetic eyes and then looks at her patient before anyone can see. "Greg are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah just a little scared."

"We are in touch with UNOS every hour for news." She says. "Rest up."

The 5 of them left the room and stood outside the room.

"Steven's and O'Malley, Pitt. Yang you are with Dr Burke. Alex, Dr Nelson and Grey you are with me."

"Are you sure." Meredith asks.

"Yeah after that horrifying presenting to that patient." Cristina asks. "That was really horrible."

"Yang, watch your mouth and go to your services." She says.

Everyone scurries off and Meredith leans up against the wall.

"You okay?" Bailey asks. "Because I heard what they said."

"Yeah I guess it's alright they treat me like this. I had the famous mother. I am married to the future Neuro god resident. I had my first kid at 18, the second at 21 and my step father is Chief of this hospital. I am great."

"It's not alright for them to treat you like this. Yes you may be at the bottom of the surgical food chain but you all of you are. You shouldn't be gossiped about by your fellow interns. You all should support yourselves through this all because you have started out together and you will mostly finish together. You need to set them inline." She tells her.

"I don't really want to."

"Grey do you want to feel miserable for the rest of your internship?"

"No."

"Well figure something out sooner than later because it will get nastier and they will find things out that you wished they would not know."

"Okay."

"Let's go help Mr Luka."

…

"Dr Shepherd."

"Yes." He says turning around. "Dr Bailey what may I do for you?"

"Can we have a word in private? It's about your wife."

The feeling of horror washed over his face as he followed Bailey to a quiet part of the hallway.

"Where is she?"

"She is prepping my patient."

"She's not hurt or anything?"

"She is fine." She says. "Anyway she is feeling pretty crappy. I mean crappy. The interns are bitching about her while she is in the room. They are giving her dirty looks. They are treating her like I was treated in high school and let me tell you no one wanted to hang out with the short nerdy girl who played in band and had the coke bottle glasses. They discriminated me every single day of high school and it made me feel the way she is feeling now."

"Oh…."

"I told her to stand up to them because it will get worse and they will find out more about her and I don't think she wants her personal details written across the hospital."

"She had that done to her in high school and ended up lashes out at the girl and told her to jump in front of a bus because of what she had done. That girl tried to shoot Mer that day and killed herself."

"Exactly. She is going to do something that could hurt someone else or herself. She could hurt you and your children. You need to talk some sense into her because she seems like a nice girl and I don't want anything bad happening to her."

"Your right Dr Bailey. I will talk to her later."

"I have her on a surgery with me today. Keep her mind distracted. I'm not starting the transplant until 11 so you have a little while before we go in. She might just need you."

Derek nodded his head. He had to admit he was scared for her safety.

"What room is your patient in?"

"1548."

"Thank you."

…

Meredith had seemed distant when she was running the tests on her patient. She had to take him to a pre op CT scan. She stood by his bed and waited for the elevator. The walk down the corridor she received stares upon stares. The patient knew who they were staring at and Meredith kept her head down.

"Her husband was going to marry another lady. 7 weeks before they slept with each other and conceived her son. Her plan as well. Is that a home wrecker or what?"

Her patient just looked at her. Wondering what was going on inside her mind as people trashed her. She stayed quiet during the CT and on the way back to his room Derek found her.

"Dr Grey just the lady I was looking for." He says with a smile. "Do you have a minute?"

"I will take Mr Luka back to his room and we can talk outside."

"Thank you." He says jumping on the other side of the bed and helping her take the patient to his room.

They stood outside the door and Meredith sank into the wall.

"You okay. You seem not normal. You're not yourself. The self that I absolutely love and adore." He says placing a hand on her cheek.

"It's just nothing."

"Meredith I know when you are lying. What is going on? Is it something that I said yesterday about the centre of the rumour mill?"

"Derek just drop it, please."

"Meredith I will not leave until you tell me what is wrong." He says just as his pager sounds. "Well I will be back and you better tell me because I am your husband and I made a vow towards you. We made a promise that night we became engaged that we would be honest to one another and keep things shared among us not a secret."

He kisses her cheek and leaves her standing there. She felt like breaking down. She ducked into the patient's room and shut the door and fell to the ground shaking like mad.

"Dr Grey are you okay?" He asks.

She just stays there not wanting to go and face reality. Tears stained her cheeks as she looked up at him. "I'm sorry."

"Dr Grey come over here for a moment." He says. She stands and walks to his bedside and grabs her hand. "I have been married for 30 years. I have been through a lot of things that I wish that I hadn't. I have said things and done things that I wish I didn't do. I have had people stare and talk harshly about me and it made me hit the bottle. That's how I got my bad liver. You seem like a wonderful lady. Your husband seems wonderful as well. Do you have any kids?"

"Yes. A 4 year old daughter and a son who is 1."

"From what I hear they times your kids were conceived were at bad times?"

She nodded her head. "My daughter Kaylee, I was in high school when I was pregnant with her. A girl found out about it and done exactly what people are doing now. She made my life hell and I told her to die. She shot at me the next day and then killed herself. She said awful stuff about my family and me." She tells him. "My son Cooper was conceived after a drunken night with my husband. I wasn't marrying him and he was engaged to someone else. I apparently wanted this so I could break them up."

"Dear we all make mistakes. A lot of mistakes happen when alcohol is involved. Mistakes make us human." He says. "Tell me about your parents and your siblings. I need to get my head around these rumours."

"My mother was evil. She drove my real father away and married the Chief of this hospital. She had 2 kids with him and people have said that my youngest sister is my child just because of the 12 year age gap. I was forced to raise my siblings because I wanted the best for them. I never went to parties and to my friends' houses because I needed to look after my siblings. My mother died 2 years ago and my real father married again and has 2 kids. I am from a screwed up family."

"Dear those things have made you who you are. You are a mother. You have responsibilities. You are a wife. You have responsibilities. You are a doctor and you have responsibilities. You made mistakes. Who hasn't? You have had a different life compared to other people. You seem like a beautiful person and not, excuse my language, a slut."

"Thank you Mr Luka. I appreciated it."

"I think that before my surgery you better talk to that husband of yours because he seemed upset that you wouldn't tell him."

"Yeah I will." She says with a smile.

"Now that is better."

"Sorry I shouldn't be saying things like this to patients."

"Dear it is keeping me distracted from what could happen."

Meredith smiled at him before her pager sounded. "I have to take this." She says.

She goes outside and calls UNOS. They have the liver ready to be delivered from Mercy West. She went off to find Dr Bailey and told her the good news.

"Okay Grey prep our patient. What time are our organs getting here?"

"They said in an hour."

"Okay let's go get him prepped."

"I have run a CT scans and his blood work."

"Have you gotten the results back yet?"

"No not yet."

"Okay well page me…"She says but is interrupted by Meredith's pager.

"That's the results."

"Okay go and get them and meet me in his room."

Meredith comes back to the room with the results and blood work.

"Okay Greg we have a new liver and we are prepping you right now for surgery. I advise you to call your wife."

He called his wife while he was prepped. The liver was dropped off at the hospital and was on ice waiting to be placed into his new body. His wife arrived just as they took him up to surgery. They all scrubbed in and went and stood in the OR. Richard had joined them along with another 2 interns. The 2 interns that were saying stuff about her yesterday.

"Okay let's begin." Richard says.

An hour into the surgery Meredith's pager sounds.

"Dr Grey it's yours." A nurse says.

"Is it important?"

"It is the crèche."

"I told them not to page me unless it was an emergency."

"It says 911."

"Dr Grey go see what it is. Scrub back in if it isn't anything too serious." Bailey says.

"Okay." Meredith says taking her gown off.

"See special treatment. Her husband, her step dad and now her resident."

Meredith looked at them and Richard met her eyes.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing Dr Webber."

"No tell me because I want to know. If your crap is so important to share with her then it must be able to be shared with everyone else in this OR. We would love to hear what you said."

"I said that she gets the special treatment."

"Just leave my OR. I don't want people like you in here saying things that are incorrect and hurtful." Dr Bailey says.

Meredith stood by the door and watched the intern leave the room.

"Thank you." She says.

"You better go before I change my mind." Richard says.

She leaves the OR and goes to the crèche.

"Hi Dr Grey."

"I told you to page me only in emergencies.

"Well it is. Kaylee has had an accident and I realised that she doesn't have her bag here."

"Oh I knew that I forgot something. I left it in my locker. I will be back soon." She says turning to leave.

"Mumma."

She turns to see Cooper walking towards her. "Hi baby. I'll be back soon."

He starts screaming when she leaves him. She turns around and picks him up and carries him down to the locker room. He cried the whole way downs and she tried to calm him.

"It's okay baby boy. I will feed you as soon as we get back. I promise." She says kissing his cheek. "I really promise. I know it's a whole different routine and mummy is sorry. I'll make it up to you."

His cries soon stopped and he just whimpered and hiccupped. She wiped his tears away and kissed him. She entered the locker room and the intern who was kicked out of surgery was sitting on one of the benches. Meredith ignored her and found Kaylee's bag and started to leave.

"Typical."

"What did you just say?"

"Nothing. You must be hearing things."

"You need to seriously get a life and stop ruining mine. Just because I have more things in my life doesn't mean you can make mine miserable. I have responsibilities." She says leaving the locker room.

In the crèche she went and found Kaylee crying.

"Hey baby girl. It's okay. It happens, you no." Tears fell harder down her cheek and Meredith hugged her. "I'm having a hard day as well but I promise that it will get better."

"Promise?"

"Promise." She says smiling at her. "Come on let's get you changed and I can feed Coopie and get back to surgery."

Meredith helped Kaylee change her pants and underwear. She cleaned her down and then helped her put new clothes on.

"Sorry mummy that I brought you out from surgery."

"It's okay baby. It is better in here than in surgery."

"Why mummy?"

"Because people stare at me and say things about me and I don't like it."

"It's okay mummy." She says wrapping her arms around Meredith's neck.

"Thanks sweetie." She says to her. "Now go play and I will see you later."

Kaylee kissed her mummy goodbye and Meredith wrapped the dirty clothes up in a bag and placed it inside the bag. She found Cooper and started to feed him. She got him to sleep and headed back up to surgery.

"Sorry it took longer than I thought it would."

"You're here for the best part. The new liver."

Meredith stayed in the surgery watching and holding the retractor. She didn't flinch. She also realised that this was the first surgery that she scrub in on with Richard. She felt happy and on a high. Richard had smiled at his daughter as soon as the surgery finished.

"You're a natural. Just like your mother." He says.

After the surgery she ran into Derek.

"Are you going to tell me what is wrong now?"

"Just follow me." She says grabbing his hand and taking him to the locker room.

All the interns had finished their shifts and were changing. She slammed her hand on one of the lockers to make herself noticed and she did.

"Mer what are you doing?" Derek asked.

"Just listen." She says. "The past 2 days have been hell for me. All I heard was gossiping and all I got were glares from every single one of you. You spent your two days glaring at me. No wonder you were kicked out from surgeries and had patients die on you. You all need to get a life and be doctors and not the carriers of gossip." She says.

"Now let me clarify a few of your questions and the gossip that you think is true." She says looking at them all. "I am Meredith Grey, I am 22 years old. My mother is the late Ellis Grey. My father left me when I was 5 years old. My mother married Dr Webber and he became my father. I have a step brother and sister who I raised. I didn't go to friends' houses because I didn't want my siblings to be abandoned. Like I was. I wanted them to have a childhood even if that meant I had to miss out on mine."

"I have known my husband since I was 13. We conceived our daughter the night his father passed away and I gave birth to my daughter when I was 18. She means the world to me. I was kicked out of home the day my mother found out and lived with Derek. She moved to Boston and I moved back home ready to have my daughter. Derek and I were friend for the first 3 years of Kaylee's life. On my 21st birthday, Derek was due to marry someone else in 7 weeks. We ended up in bed with each other and conceived my son Cooper. Who is now a healthy one year old. I married Derek when I was 6 months pregnant and we have lived together since then." She says.

"My mother has always told me that I am a disappointment and no more than ordinary. I was told this day after day every single day of my life. She never said she loved me to me. Every single night she arrived home she would yell and scream at me for not having my brother and sister in bed. If I got an A minus she would blame Derek for distracting me. She always picked fights with me over things that weren't necessary. I tried my best to please her but she never listened."

"Dr Webber became the best father to me. He loved me and would make an effort. Of a night time when he came home and I was in bed he would sit by my bedside and kiss my forehead and tell me that he loves me and congratulate me on getting an A minus. As long as I tried my hardest that's all that mattered to him. He made an effort."

"These events are unfortunate and you think that they are unfair but look where these things have gotten me. If I didn't have siblings to look after I would have not had that maturity you all lack. I would not have grown up. If I didn't have a daughter I would be at the bars drinking until 4 in the morning and sleeping with random guys. Derek has been a big part of my life and I am grateful for that. I have responsibilities. I am a mother, a sister, a wife, a daughter and a doctor. These things happened and have made me grow up and not party like all of you." She states. "I think that you should all look at yourselves before you say stuff about other people because snorting cocaine is a lot worst then being a mother. At least I'm not killing myself quickly with drugs."

"I don't care about this anymore and about your opinions. If you have to say something, say it to my face and not to my back and if you have nothing nice to say then don't say anything at all. My mother told me that and it's true. Walk in my shoes and you will understand the life I have had."

Meredith went to her locker and changed her scrubs. All the interns just stayed there. Derek sat on the bench and waited for her to change. Her friends changed from their scrubs and shared a smile between each other. They were proud of her.

Meredith collected the kids and met up with Derek.

"Listen Meredith, I am so sorry about what I said. You are right you are more mature and have responsibilities. I haven't dealt with responsibilities like you have. I was at private boarding schools all my life and my parents showered me in whatever I wanted. You had your siblings to look after. I snorted coke while you became a mum. I thought about walking in your shoes and what you told me I understand. I'm sorry and I hope we can put our differences to the side and maybe be friends." Leslie says.

"Sure Leslie. I'm sorry about what I said but I had to. I was upset that 14 of the 6 interns had to say stuff about me. They haven't seen what I had to do and put up with. I just had to because I took it to heart and it was killing me inside. I had to say something because we will all be together us interns and we grow together. We start at the bottom of the surgical food chain and work our way up. We are like in the 7th grade when people treated us like crap." She explains to her. "But for two days it felt as though I was the 7th grader and you were all the 10th graders picking on me."

"Sorry Meredith. I really am. I think that everyone should apologise because we have all said stuff about you and most of it wasn't true."

"Leslie it's okay. I feel much better now."

"Good. Well I better be going. I will see you later."

"Bye." Meredith says smiling at her.

Leslie leaves her and the kids.

"Mummy, are you okay?" Kaylee asks.

Meredith bends down to her level and smiles. "Do you know how a lot of things happened when I was growing up?" Kaylee nodded her head. "Well the other interns thought that it was unfair that I have things and had the famous surgeon mother. I was annoyed at what they said about you, your brother, your father and me that I had to tell them that because of all my family I am who I am. I had to tell them certain things and they soon understood."

"Did they say stuff about being a young mum to me because it's my fault in a way for being born?"

"Now you listen to me. It wasn't your fault for being born. Yes they did but don't you worry they understand that you mean the world to me and that I would never change it."

Kaylee wrapped her arms around Meredith and kissed her. "I love you mummy. No matter what."

"I love you too and Coopie."

"What about me?" Derek asks bending down to Kaylee's level.

"Oh and you too." Meredith says kissing him.

"Me too." He says smiling at his family. "Let's go home."

He takes Cooper from Meredith and holds Meredith's hand.

Arriving home the kids went off to play and Meredith and Derek stood in the hallway in each other's arms.

"I am so proud of you. You stood up to them all and said what the truth was. You summed it up perfectly and you shouldn't care what they say anymore."

"My patient convinced me to do this. He said to do it for you as well so I did."

He leant in kissing her tenderly and then leading her to the lounge. She sat down with her legs over his lap and she took out her mother's diary.

"September 30th, 1992. You're almost here. I sit here at this moment. Your fluttering makes me smile. Your kicking brings joy and reminds me of your presence. I have your nursery finished in a lavender colour. I insisted painting the nursery because I wanted to nest. Your father has been a pain but he was been quite sweet and caring. Every moment I feel you kick I just want to be holding you in my arms. I haven't told Thatcher because he is sleeping soundly but you are ready to make your entrance into this world. My contractions are 10 minutes apart. You'll be in my arms in no time. I will love you baby girl but it may be hard for me to commit that love towards you. I will try to show you love because this moment here I am loving you so much. See you soon baby girl." Meredith reads out.

"Read the next one." He says massaging her feet.

"October 1st, 1992. Meredith Elizabeth Shepherd, 6lbs, 9 ounces. After 7 hours of labour you are here. You have beautiful green eyes and fair hair. You have my eyes and my mouth. You look exactly like me but I can see your father's genes. You are beautiful. The moment I heard your first breath and your crying I shed a tear. It is the most beautiful sound on earth and I will never hear a beautiful thing again. You are now asleep in your plastic bassinet by my side with me watching over you. I am also hearing the cute noise coming from your peaceful sleep. Richard also dropped by and said how beautiful you were. He loves you already. I am writing this to let you know how beautiful you were the moment you were born. I just hope in the years to come I am here to see your beautiful children. I love you baby girl." Meredith says closing the book.

"She said you were beautiful from the moment she saw you." Derek says.

"Yeah she did. I'm glad she saw Kaylee. She said she was beautiful."

"Well I'm sure she is watching over us and can see Cooper." He says kissing her cheek. "Just think she died on your birthday, we conceived Cooper that night. She made room on this earth for him. I think that she may have had that influence of the baby being conceived."

"It is the same for your father. He died, we conceived Kaylee."

"So I wonder who is dying next to conceive our next child."

"Hopefully no one. I don't think we cope very well with grief and alcohol."

"They don't mix very well do they?" He says.

"Well our kids are beautiful." She says.

"Make sure you include that in the journals."

"I will."

"Hey you never told me about Richard coming home of a night time to kiss you goodnight."

"Yeah he did. He would do that every night and thank me for getting the kids into bed. He would see my report cards and results from essays and exams and say how proud I was. He loved me."

"Well he loved you from the moment he say you. I loved you from the moment I saw you."

She smiles at him. "And our kids." She adds. "We will love them from cradle to grave."

"From cradle to grave." He says leaning in to kiss her again.

**So my updating is becoming more regular. I will let you all know that I have just finished writing chapter 111. So there is a lot to come from this chapter to that one. So reviews will help me in updating quicker.**

**So please read and review and before you know it I will be sharing 111 with all of you.**


	70. You're Already The Rock Star

It was a Saturday and it was the first full weekend Meredith and Derek had been given off. They had planned with Nancy and Kathleen to watch the kids for the weekend. Yeah Cristina though that it as stupid using their weekend off to look after their nieces and nephews but Meredith and Derek wanted to spend time with them because they had not seen them since Cooper's birthday party which was a month ago.

In the past month they had worked non-stop. Derek's hours had been less than Meredith's but they still seemed to be long. Meredith had had a few on call shifts and that meant Derek was at home with the kids but one of those shifts a restaurant fire had started and the pit was piled to capacity. The kids had spent a lot of time in the crèche and at Carolyn's.

Though today they woke up at 7 in each other's arms. The night before they had been in bed at the same time and even had time for each other.

"Morning." He says.

"Morning."

"What time is everyone coming over?"

"Well Kathleen said 10. Nancy said that Tom would drop all the kids off when they were ready. She was glad that we watched the others for the weekend. She says that it is full on with Zach and the other kids. She and Tom just needed that weekend with him."

"That would be right." He says. "Where are they all sleeping?"

"Well we can fit 3 in the spare bed. We can put three of the girls in there. The other can sleep in Kaylee's room and Conner and Braden are going into Jackson's old room to share the double bed. Cooper could find himself asleep with the boys."

"Well he is quite good sleeping in a bed by himself."

"The beds are all made up as well. The mattress just has to be placed in Kaylee's room but she needs to tidy up her room before that happens."

"Well you can do that." He says.

"Why me?"

"Because you are her mother. You're a girl. She has girl things."

"Derek her girl things are toys. She isn't up to that stage yet with training bras and tampons. Give it a little while before that happens."

He just smiles at her and pulls her closer.

"You know I am right."

"You always are right."

"I know."

"Now don't get too cocky."

"Cocky. Look whose talking guy with the big ego. The god complex."

"Yeah so what." He says. "Hey I was keen to have some good lovin' tonight but I guess that that might be a bit hard. What about a quickie in the shower now and that will get me through until Sunday night."

"Fine." She says.

…

"Thank you so much for doing this." Kathleen says.

"No worries. We wanted to spend some more time with them and give you a weekend off. I'm sure you would repay that favour for us one weekend." Meredith says.

"Yes we would and we will. A weekend that you and Derek want free from the kids call me."

"We will. Now get out of here and enjoy your weekend away."

"Bye. We should be back tomorrow afternoon."

"That's fine."

Kathleen left the house and Meredith went to find Derek. He was sitting on the floor with Kaylee, Cooper, Braden, Claire and Lacey. She sat down on the lounge and Sparrow came and curled up on her lap. She patted him while she watched Derek play cards with the kids.

"Aunty Mer you can play with us." Braden says.

"I'm fine up here Braden." She says smiling at him.

She takes out the journal she was reading. This was the first time she had picked it up since the day she told the interns who she really was. She opened the page and read in her head.

_October 4__th__, 1992. Today is the day we brought you home. The sun was shining and it had been since the day you were born. I sat in the nursery with you just nursing you. You fed and I just watched you. I had that smile upon my face the whole time. This feeling is weird but wonderful. I couldn't be happier. I just hope that this happiness continues on until the day I leave this earth. I love you so much. I'm glad I had you Meredith._

Meredith turned to the next page and she caught Derek looking at her.

"What?"

"You're reading it without me?"

"Well you can read it later. I was just catching up on what we missed."

"Aunty Mer what are they?" Lacey asks sitting beside her on the lounge.

"These are my mother's journals?"

"What are journals?" Claire asks taking a seat on the lounge.

"Have you heard of a diary?" She asks and they all nod their heads. "Well they are exactly the same. These are my mother's journals."

"Have we met your mother?" Braden asks.

"No."

"Why not?"

"My mother died 2 years ago. She was very sick. We had our differences."

"I'm sorry about that Mer." Braden says.

"Hey it's fine guys." She says smiling at them all. "These are helping me reconnect with her. Let me say they are helping."

"Can you read us one of the entries?" Kaylee asks.

"Sure." Meredith says. "I will read the next entry. October 5th, 1992. Your first night home went reasonably well. I nursed you in bed and placed you in the bassinet beside my bed. You went out at 8 and woke again at 6. You slept like a champ and ate like a champ and your father held you and burped you. He got you to sleep and we laid you in the bouncer. I didn't hear a peep out of you for another 5 hours. I guess that I will be able to work around your sleeping pattern little girl. I also received a phone call today from work. I am going back in a month and will be an attending. Your mummy is going to become a general surgeon with Richard Webber."

"Isn't Richard your daddy Meredith?" Claire asks.

"No he is my step dad. My real dad left me when I was 5 years old. Richard married my mum and had Charlie and Jackson. They are my step siblings."

"That's confusing." Claire says.

"Yeah it is. You'll understand in a few years."

The doorbell sounded.

"I'll get that." Derek says standing up.

"Can you read another one please?" Braden asks.

"Sure. This is a short one. November 1st, 1992. My first day at work since I had you went well. I was slipped right into surgery. I left you at home with your dad. I came home at 9 that night. You were still awake and I asked why you were still awake. Your dad said that I didn't want to sleep until I nursed her to sleep. I took you into my arms and kissed your cheek. That's where I saw the faint hint of that smile. You had started smiling today. You smiled even more when I went to nurse you to sleep. I hope you keep that beautiful smile."

"You do have a beautiful smile Mummy."

"Thanks Kay."

"Look who we have here." Derek says entering the room with Conner, Caitlin and Maddie.

"Hello all of you." Meredith says wrapping her arms around them and kissing each of their heads.

"Mumma." Cooper says.

"What little boy?"

"Oh what stinks?" Braden asks.

"Coopie was that you?" Derek asks picking him up. He lifts him up in the air to smell his bottom. "Yeah that is him. What have you been eating Coopie."

He just smiles and giggles.

"Cooper is cheeky." Maddie says.

"Yes he is." Meredith says. "Can you change him please?"

"I suppose. What would you do without me to change his nappy?"

"Well I changed them for the first year of his life."

"Hey I did too."

"Well I did it more. We'll even it up more. You're also doing the potty training when it gets warmer."

"Yeah sure." He mumbles leaving the room.

"What do you kids want to do because the weather isn't too well outside?"

"Can we build a fort and that can be the bed we sleep in for tonight?" Braden asks.

"Oh yes please."

"Sure. How about we make it after lunch. We can maybe watch a movie or do something else. You kids can do whatever you want."

"Mummy can we bake something?"

"You want to bake something? What about cupcakes?"

"Yes please." The kids all plead.

"Well you will have to sweet talk daddy when he gets down here."

"Okay."

Derek soon enters the lounge room again with Cooper on his shoulder. Kaylee runs straight up to him as soon as he enters the room.

"Daddy can we make some cupcakes."

He places Cooper down on the ground he goes to Meredith. Derek just looks at her.

"They can make them and then decorate them themselves." She suggests.

"Sure sweetie." He says to her.

"Oh thank you daddy." She says hugging his legs.

They enter the kitchen and place Cooper in his highchair. Braden, Kaylee, Conner, Caitlin and Claire all sit on the stools and Maddie and Lacey sit on the bench.

"Tell me what I will need kids?" He asks them.

They read the recipe carefully.

"Self-raising flour. Eggs. Milk. Sugar. Butter."

"What else?"

"Bowls, spoons, cups, tins."

They lay out everything they need.

"Okay Lacey you can put the sugar in." Meredith tells him. "And Kaylee do you want to put the cases in the tins for me please."

With the jobs going in turns they let them all have a go at helping to keep it fair. Derek done the messing job of spooning the batter into the cases and placing the tins in the oven.

The decided to help the kids build a fort so they could let their imaginations run wild.

Meredith and Derek helped them construct something practical and then left them to be kids. They sat in the kitchen and drank tea while they watched the cupcakes.

"This is quite easy." He says.

"I know but I don't think I would volunteer again when there is 20 of them running around."

"Who says there will be 20?"

"Okay there is 7 nieces and nephews now. Then there is our 2. That makes 9. Soon there will be more kids popping out from your sisters and we may have a couple more. That toll could be 20."

"Imagine what family dinners are going to be like. Ma is going to have to hold one on different nights for each of us."

"That would be a handful."

"I think Ma wants to move to New York?"

"Why?" She asks.

"Gwen lives there. All her family lives there. She wants to be with family."

"Here family is here. I don't think she wants to miss out on seeing her grandkids grow up."

"Well it won't be for a couple more years. Amelia is in year 10. She has 2 years to finish school. Ma will pack up and move then. Alice is at Uni and when she finishes she has sights to get a job in New York. Kathleen wants to live in New York. Nancy does as well. They don't tell you these things but I can tell that it is quite hard here. They are only here because of work. They would have moved away as soon as they could but dad's death has kept them here. They also started having kids straight away and they didn't want to pack up and leave."

"Well Nancy has just had Zach."

"Yeah Tom said that she was offered work at New York but she turned it down. She has just had a baby 6 weeks ago and they want her to pack up and move."

"Well it is their choice." She says. "You don't want to move to New York do you?" Meredith asks worried.

"No. I'm staying here with you. There has been no job offer in New York. My family is here. Your family is here. I don't think I can."

"Would you want to move if your family goes."

"I'm going to say that I love my sisters but they can be a handful. I need to experience another life without them. 23 years is too long."

Meredith just laughs at him. "You will miss them."

"Well I will deal with that."

Derek takes the cupcakes from the oven and they go to see the kid's work of art.

"Wow this is great." Derek says crawling in behind Meredith.

"It really is. You did a good job." She says. "You sure you want to sleep in here?"

"Yes."

"Okay just checking. We can do the bed arrangements later." He says. "Now it is almost lunchtime. What do you all want for lunch?"

"We don't mind."

"Okay well I will see what we have and create a masterpiece." He says to them.

Meredith hits his chest and they leave the fort. She holds his hand as they walk to the kitchen.

"What are you going to make them?"

"Well I was thinking pizzas. They all eat pizza."

"Okay well you can be the creator. I will be the supervisor."

He kisses her tenderly and leans her towards the bench and she sits up on the bench.

"Derek none of this when there are 8 kids under the age of 5 in the next room." She says.

"Well fine. We will have some dirty bench sex when we are alone." He says smiling at her.

The fed the kids and after lunch Cooper and Lacey both went for a nap while the others played some more. Meredith and Derek just sat on the lounge and read the journals together.

"Oh this is the point where my mother starts to hate me." Meredith says.

"Hey just because you were teething and kept her up all night."

"Oh well she would find any reason to hate me."

Derek just pulled her into his arms and they lay down together. He kissed her forehead and she soon found comfort in his arms and she found herself closing her eyes listening to the beating of his heart.

"Mummy, Daddy can we decorate our cupcakes now? Coopie and Lacey are up."

They both looked at each other and stretched out the kinks in their backs.

"Sure." Meredith says. "Let's go do some decorating."

They led all the kids into the kitchen and they set up the kitchen table for decorating. Cooper sat in his highchair eating a fruit stick.

"How long were we asleep for?"

"I don't know. Must have been a couple of hours."

"Coopie and Lacey must have just wondered downstairs. That is a first for Coopie."

"Yeah it is."

They made up the icing for them and the kids decorated and ate their cupcakes. Derek and Meredith watched from the bench eating their own. Cooper had given up being in the highchair and they let him play.

…

Dinner passed and then it was bath time. They knew that they would have to bath 4 of them then the other 4. They decided that the younger kids were up first. Cooper, Lacey, Maddie and Claire all in the bath first. The other 4 sat in the bathroom as well.

"Aunty Mer can you tell us a good story." Braden asks.

"So you are resorting to Aunty Mer for stories now. What about me?"

"No offence Uncle Derek but we heard a lot of your stories. It's time for Aunty Mer's."

"Okay Braden."

"Let me think of something." She says. "What about my first patient on my first day. She was a 16 year old girl who was having seizures and the doctors didn't know why. She was complaining about missing her beauty pageants and was driving me crazy. Anyway I had gotten into trouble for not watching her when I should have. She was having a seizure and she coded. Your uncle wasn't very happy with me but he apologised. The next day they set up a challenge for the interns to discover what was wrong with her. Cristina and I paired up and I discovered what was wrong with her. They ran tests and found that it was an aneurism. One tap on one stop and she could have died. I was chosen to scrub in on the surgery and let me say that it was wonderful. Just everything that was going on. I loved it. I knew in that moment why Derek loves Neuro Surgery."

"Are you going to become a Neuro surgeon?" Conner asks.

"I don't know yet. I'm just waiting to be inspired."

They made a rotation with the kids. Derek got Cooper dried down and dressed and Meredith managed to get the girls dressed in the same time as it took Derek.

The others were out of the bath and dried and dressed. They took them downstairs and Meredith sat with them in the kitchen and handed them their drinks. Derek made their bed in the fort.

"Okay kiddies it is almost bedtime. We will brush our teeth then all go to the toilet and then we will read you a bedtime story." Meredith says to them.

"Okay."

The rounds were made again and they were brought back downstairs to their bed. Derek started to read the story and Meredith fed Cooper. One by one they started to fall asleep. Derek covered them all with blankets and Meredith and him went upstairs with Cooper. He was placed in bed and they then went in their room to watch a movie together. Something that was unusual for them to do.

"That was very easy." She says to him.

"Yeah it was. I'm surprised at how easy it was. They are easy kids to look after."

"Well since they are asleep we could make use of this time." She says.

"Hmm finish off the movie or have sex with you." He says. "I choose option number 2."

"Good choice."

…

At 2 that morning Meredith and Derek woke to the thunder. They lay awake waiting to know what was to come. Kaylee wasn't to good in thunderstorms. Either was Cooper. Braden, Conner and Maddie were great but Caitlin, Claire and Lacey weren't. They heard the footsteps and saw the door opening.

"Mummy. Daddy." Kaylee whispered.

"Come on." Meredith says.

Kaylee, Claire and Lacey were in the bed with Derek and Meredith. The safeness of them keeping them protected. They had trouble falling asleep so they sang the lullaby song to them and they were soon sound asleep.

"We are going to need a bigger bed when we expand." Meredith whispers.

"I know we will. We have said this all along."

The two soon fell asleep. They woke the next morning to 7 kids in the bed. Meredith and Derek just shared a look of confusion. The 3 others were asleep soundly with blankets covering them and found refuge in the gaps.

"When did this happen?" She asks.

"I don't know. They must have just come up to bed later on."

"Well did you notice Cooper didn't wake. He slept straight through the storm."

"He must have been tired."

The kids all began to stir and woke at the same time.

"Morning." Derek says to them.

"Morning daddy."

"Morning Uncle Derek."

"Did you sleep well?" Meredith asks.

"Well yeah after the storm passed we did." Claire says.

"Well who wants some breakfast?"

The kids' faces light up and they chant yes please.

"Okay well I will go downstairs and start making them." Derek says.

"Can we help?"

"If you want. I can whip them up with a blink of an eye. I'm that good."

Meredith just smiles at his cockiness. "Or you can watch TV and we will get them ready."

"Okay." Braden says. "Let's go."

The 7 kids leave the room and go downstairs. Derek snuggles into Meredith to kiss her good morning. Their kiss good morning was changed this morning. It was longer and more passionate. The broke apart when they heard Cooper.

"What was that for?" She asks.

"Well for not having my arms around you the whole night. You must have been scared of the thunder." He says.

"Yes I was terrified." She says going into the nursery. "Morning baby boy." She says taking him from the cot. "How'd you sleep?"

"Goo."

"That is good. Let's go see daddy."

They go into the bedroom with Derek sitting in bed still.

"Dada."

"Hi Coopie." He greets Cooper with a kiss on the head.

"You need you nappy changed little one."

"I'll go downstairs and start cooking."

Meredith got Cooper changed and downstairs to play. Meredith found Derek already cooking them and realised that he wasn't joking.

"Hey did you cheat?" She asks him.

"No. I am just that good at making pancakes. I could make them in my sleep."

"Well I'm glad you haven't. I don't think they would very much like a burnt down house."

"Yeah me either." He says kissing her. "Can you get the plates ready and the toppings. We can start the rounds soon."

Cooper wandered into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around Meredith's legs.

"What you doing Coopie?"

"Baba."

"Do you want a drink?"

"Ya."

"Do you want water or milk?"

"Milk."

"Okay hold on a minute. Go to daddy."

He toddles over to Derek and he lifts him up so he can watch.

Meredith had the table set out and went and got the kids seated. She then grabbed Cooper and went and sat down to feed him. Derek placed the pancakes on their plates and continued making them.

…

The doorbell sounded at about midday. Meredith greeted Kathleen and John.

"Hi. Come on in."

"How were they?"

"Great. No trouble at all."

"That's good."

"Though we did all end up with 7 kids in our bed sometime last night. We knew that there were 4 of them in the bed with us but in the morning the other 3 were asleep."

"How'd they all fit?"

"Well we had four between Derek and I and 3 were asleep in the gaps they could find."

"You are definitely going to need a bigger bed for when the other kids join your clan."

"Hey Derek and I have said that since the week we babysat Sam and Zoe. And Cooper was on my lap and they took up a lot of room. We are upgrading as soon as I become pregnant again."

"Good for you." Kathleen says smiling at her.

They find the kids in the kitchen having drinks. Kathleen and John take their kids home and they are left with Conner, Caitlin and Maddie. They made lunch up for them and Meredith went and put Cooper down for a nap when the doorbell rang again. She came down the stairs seeing Nancy with Zach in her arms.

"Hi Nanc."

"Hey Meredith." She says with a smile.

"How were they?"

"Great." Derek says taking Zach into his arms to hold.

"We had all the kids asleep with us in bed this morning because of the storm."

"Yeah well Zach didn't sleep at all last night."

"Well it was weird because Coopie is usually really skittish in thunderstorms and wakes up but he slept the whole night last night."

"He must have been worn out."

"Yeah I think he might have been. Chasing after his cousins all day."

"Has Nancy already picked up the kids?"

"Yeah about 40 minutes ago."

"Oh well I better get my kids home and this little one."

"Let me have a hold of him before you go." Meredith says taking Zach into her arms. "Derek can you go and grab the bag for Nancy and we will help put the kids into the car."

They said goodbye to the kids and they left with Nancy. They went and collapsed on the lounge. The fort had been packed away and Kaylee sat on the other lounge.

"That was good. No stress at all." She says.

"Yes. They are so easy to look after. Yeah the girls can get a little bossy but that's only because they have Nancy and Kathleen as their mum."

"Those traits always rub off onto their kids. They would make good business people when they grow up. They are bossy and firm. Could get anybody back into line."

"Or they could be doctors." He says.

"Oh yes they could be. It's really strange how 2 of them have studied medicine. Alice is at med school now and Amy is thinking about med school."

"Well mum is a nurse. We have spent a lot of time in hospitals. My grandfather and grandmother were involved in medicine. So it's bound to happen. Just like your mother was a surgeon and your grandmother was a nurse. I wouldn't be surprised if Cooper and Kaylee end up in medicine."

"Well they will become rock stars and naturals."

"You're shaping up to be a natural."

"Well you're already the rock star."

**What'd you think? Let me know.**

**Next chapter will be Kaylee and Meredith's birthday.**


	71. I Came Into The World 5 Years Ago

"Happy birthday." He whispers in her ear and trails his fingers up her back.

She turns over and looks at him with a smile. It had been a busy 2 months for them and it was non-stop. Meredith looked at his delicate features and seen the tiredness that had overcome him. The black circles under his eyes she was the same though. It was usually only a few hours of sleep a night. On a good night it had been 6 hours. That was on a goodnight though. She missed sleep a lot but she loved her job. She couldn't complain.

"Well it is 5 to 5. The kids are still sound asleep and I could make your morning great that the smile won't leave your face."

"Well I like the sounds of that."

"Well the more time we waste the less time we have to do what I want to you."

"Okay well take me away."

He lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bathroom.

"Happy birthday Kaylee." Meredith and Derek whispered to her later that morning.

Her bright blue eyes greeted them along with her big, bright smile.

"Happy birthday mummy." Kaylee says sitting up in bed and wrapping her arms around her.

"Thank you sweetie." She says. "We're going to get up and have breakfast and open presents."

"Are we having our special breakfast?"

"Not today. We will on Saturday." Derek says.

"Sounds great." She says with her big smile.

"You can get her breakfast and the bottle for Cooper." Meredith says to him.

Meredith had decided to stop breastfeeding Cooper. She had barely been able to feed him and at the crèche they would run out of bottle milk. She would always be paged to the crèche and she would have to leave surgeries to see them. She weaned Cooper off breastfeeding a few weeks ago and now he was onto formula.

She found him awake as she entered the nursery. She kissed him and brought him from his cot.

"Morning baby boy."

"Morning Mumma." He says. "Hap Birthday."

"Thank you mister. Come on let's get some breakfast and go to the crèche."

She let him walk downstairs holding her hand. He ran to Derek and wrapped his arms around his legs.

"Hey Coopie." He says picking him up.

"Morning Coopie."

"Hap birthday Kay."

"Thank you." She says.

Meredith just looked at Kaylee. She couldn't believe that she was now 5 years old. Meredith couldn't believe that 5 years ago she had given birth to Kaylee in ten minutes at the land. She was so grown up and everything that has happened in those 5 years. She looked around at her family and smiled at the memories from the past 5 years. Kaylee was their new beginning. Meredith would never regret falling pregnant with her. Derek she knew felt the same.

"Come on mummy let's open presents."

Meredith sat at the table and Derek brought the presents for both of them onto the table.

"Who is opening first?" Meredith asks.

"Mummy can." Kaylee says.

"Thanks baby."

Derek passes her a present.

"This one is from Kaylee and Cooper."

She opens the box. Inside were charms for her bracelet. She noticed what they picked out for her. A stethoscope and an aeroplane.

"Thank you." She says to the kids.

"I also wrote you something." She says. "Just like I did for daddy."

"Dear mummy. I came into the world 5 years ago today. I came into this world on your birthday. You tell me that I was born at the hut because I came without any warning. I really love that you had me mummy because you make my life wonderful every day even if you are busy becoming an intern I still enjoy all my moments with you. I know that you had me young and that people judged you but who cares. You are the best mummy in the world because you have the same laugh as me. The same smile. You play with me and you just make life beautiful. The thing I love the most is that you let me share my birthday with yours. I love you mummy."

Meredith had a tear in her eye. She leant down and kissed Kaylee.

"I love sharing my birthday with you." She says. "It's a special connection for us."

Derek pushed Kaylee's presents in front of her.

"Go on sweetie. You open your presents and then mummy can open hers." Derek says.

Kaylee opens her first present. A music box. Her smile widens and she opens it. She sees that inside is a ballerina.

"Do you like it?" Meredith asks.

"It's so pretty."

"Open your next present."

Kaylee opens the present and is confused at what it is.

"What is it?"

"It's your first suture kit." Derek says.

"Does that mean I can suture things like you and mummy?"

"Yeah it does."

"It's cool."

"Hey you have one more."

She opens her last present and finds clothes along with some charms to go on her bracelet.

"Thank you mummy and daddy." She says walking around kissing them.

"Kay can you go and get ready. We're going to have to get going soon."

"Okay mummy."

Kaylee ran off upstairs and Derek slid the last present across the table for Meredith. She opened the box and inside was the things she asked for. New lingerie which she let Derek pick out for her. New converse sneakers and anything else he wanted to throw in there. It was something special and she loved it. She kissed him long and hard and they were interrupted by Cooper.

"Sorry baby. Come on let's get you changed and we can go." Meredith says standing up and taking him from the highchair. "Where are our reservations for the night?"

"Your favourite Italian restaurant."

"I love you." She says kissing him.

"Hey that's why I married you." He says with a smile.

She has Cooper changed and ready to go along with Kaylee. They headed to the hospital and walked towards the elevators when they were bombarded with their friends and the birthday wishes for Meredith and Kaylee.

"Happy birthday Mer." Izzie says. "I made a cake for you." She says shoving a cake in her face. "And one for Kaylee." She says bending down to Kaylee. "Happy birthday. I made you 5 cupcakes for being 5 years old."

"Thanks aunt Izzie." She says hugging her.

"I'll take the kids to the crèche. Let you catch up with your friends." Derek tells her. "Have a great day and I will see you at 5." He says kissing her cheek.

"I will." She kisses Cooper and then gives Kaylee 5 kisses for luck. "I will see you this afternoon. I might pop in later to see you. We will have our birthday lunch together."

"Okay mummy." She says with a smile. She kisses Meredith and then gets on the elevator with Derek and Cooper.

"So what did he get you for your birthday?" Izzie asks.

"Clothes and new shoes. I didn't want much because he has spoilt me enough."

"What about the kids?"

"Charms for my bracelet and Kaylee made me a letter like Derek's."

"What did she write about?"

"How she is glad that I had her. That I make her life beautiful and those moments we spend together are great. She just said that she knows that I had her young and people judged me but who cares. She thinks that I am the best mummy in the world because I have the same smile and laugh as her. But the thing she loves the most is that I let her share my birthday with her."

"She's such a cutie." George says. "I'm glad you and Derek got kind of drunk and had sex."

"Thanks George."

"Oh and when you got drunk and conceived Cooper. Very great moment for Meredith Grey." Cristina says. "How is the next kid going to be conceived?"

"Oh very funny. We will let nature take its course and see what happens. Leave it to fate." She tells them as they enter the locker room.

"Well both times you conceived a kid someone died so hopefully fate doesn't happen that way again."

"Hey I believe in fate. Well some times." She tells them.

"What are you doing tonight?" Cristina asks.

"Well it is a romantic dinner for Derek and I. Kid free night. Dinner at my favourite restaurant. Then a night to ourselves."

"Sex is always involved with you too. It's like food. You got to have sex to get through the day." Alex says.

"Well we are young and in love. We are married. It's just something that we enjoy."

"Something I could enjoy." Izzie says.

"Oh Iz you just find someone. It's not that good."

"Yeah well I know that you're lying." Izzie says.

Meredith just smiles at her and changes into her scrubs. They went off to their assignments and Meredith found Dr Bailey.

"Grey you're here." She says. "Happy birthday."

"Thank you."

"I suppose you want to be out of here in a decent hour today for dinner?"

"Yes I do."

"Well you are with me today. We are taking someone's appendixes out in roughly 2 hours. Then you we will be with Dr Shepherd for the day. He has a surprise for you. Don't ask me what."

"Derek has another surprise for me. I really hate surprises."

"Go take it out with him if you want. I don't know what he wants you for and I hope it's not for extracurricular activities." She says leading Meredith down towards the patient.

"Trust me I have a rule about that."

"I didn't need to know that."

"Sorry." She says. "Do you think we will be out by lunch? It's Kaylee's birthday as well. I want to spend lunch with her."

"It should only take an hour tops. You will be able to have morning tea with her if you really want. I know Steven's baked you and her cakes."

"How do you know?"

"She boasted about it this morning. She wouldn't let them go either."

"Yeah that's Izzie for you."

"I hope that we will be out by lunch because I want lunch today as well. I have not had a decent lunch in a month."

"Yeah me either."

"It's the life of an intern Grey. You do the grunt work until you graduate to the next level but you still get the grunt work there. It never stops. It just keeps coming."

"Yeah I know. It's the life of a Doctor. You barely have time to do anything. Be a mother. A wife. A friend. It's hard."

"You said it?" She says. "Let's get our patient prepped so you can spend lunch with your daughter."

Prepping the patient was quickly finished. They then wheeled the patient down to surgery and she was right. It took an hour. While scrubbing out Derek poked his head in the door.

"Oh here you are. Dr Bailey is she right to disappear for a while?"

"Yes she is."

"Thank you." He says grabbing Meredith's arm and guiding her out from the scrub room.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

"I hate surprises. You know that."

"Yes I do but I'm sure you will like this one."

He had lead her though the hospital and to the roof. He had covered her eyes when they were on the elevator just to make her even more annoyed at the surprise. When the doors finally opened he walked her forward.

"Come on Derek. What are we doing here?"

"Happy birthday." He says taking his hands from her eyes.

He revealed a picnic for the two of them on top of the roof.

"You set up a picnic for us?"

"Yes I did. I organised with Bailey and Richard to do this. They were happy to let you go for a couple of hours." He tells her. "The kids are also coming up for a picnic. I need to spoil both of my girls."

"Yes you do. Especially Kaylee."

"I will always spoil her. After all that time…"

"Derek she knows and I know. You make it up to her every day." Meredith says cutting him off.

"And you. I make it up to you every day."

Meredith just smiles at him. "I love you so much even if your surprises drive me crazy I still love you. And all your talk and all that hair product that takes up space in the cupboard. I still love you because you understand me more than I understand myself."

"I'm sorry about the hair products." He says.

She hits him playfully on the chest and leans up on her toes to kiss him. The elevator doors soon open to reveal Cristina and Izzie with Cooper and Kaylee.

"G rated please." Cristina says.

They both turn to the kids. Cooper runs towards Meredith and she sweeps him up into her arms.

"Thanks for bringing them up here?" Derek asks.

"No worries. Anything to help out." Izzie says to him handing over the baby bag and the container with Kaylee's cupcakes.

The two girls leave and they sit down on the rug. Meredith holds Cooper in her lap.

"Birthday girl can get her lunch first." Meredith says to Kaylee.

She smiles at her mum. "Well you are the birthday girl as well."

"Well you are my princess we get to spoil you as much as we want." Meredith tells her.

"You deserve to be spoilt mummy. Not just me."

"I've been spoilt enough. It's your turn."

Lunch was a leisurely thing for the four of them. Cooper found himself asleep after he ate. They shared out Kaylee's cupcakes and Meredith started braiding Kaylee's hair while Derek read out Ellis's journals.

"25th of December, 1992. You're first Christmas Meredith. I arrived home from work at 7 that morning and found you in your bouncer watching the Christmas lights change colours. You were just fascinated by the changing colour and you had your beautiful smile on your face the whole time. I went and kissed your forehead and you looked at me with a smile and kicked your legs. I lay down beside you and we watched the changing colours of the lights. We didn't open presents we just lay there. We had a small family lunch and I went back to the hospital with you dressed up in a Christmas onesies. You lay in the wrap as I carried you around to see my patients and bring a little hope and joy. I made an effort to see the kids in paediatrics and their parents and talked to their parents. Richard and I dropped tea, coffee and Christmas cakes to all the parents and wished them a happy Christmas. I then went to dinner with Richard and he held you in his arms and just told me how beautiful you were and how you were a good baby. He would make a good father."

"So the hots for each other began Christmas when I was 15 weeks old. Nice."

Derek just smiles at me and laughs. "Well you were a beautiful baby."

"Well the kids were beautiful especially because they looked a lot like you."

"No they got your beauty."

"Well I'm hoping they don't use as much hair products as you do." She says with a smile. "Because we might have a problem with school in the morning."

"Hey it doesn't take me that long to do my hair."

She just shakes her head with a laugh.

"Read the next one." She tells him.

"Okay well we read these ones before." He mumbles flicking through the pages. "July 7th, 1993." He says. "Hey that would be my first birthday." He says. "You are now 9 months old. You are crawling and saying nothing but baby talk. You were invited to one of the nurses' sons' birthday today. Derek Shepherd. His mother is a nurse at Seattle Grace and we always talked about our kids. She invited us to his first birthday today. I had other plans like working today but she was a nice lady. I had you dressed in a pretty dress and I carried you into the house. It was a home with a lot of dedication to it. If only your father would dedicate his time to ours. There were kids everywhere and you wanted to play with them. I let you down and you crawled over to Derek and played with him. He didn't have a problem with you. He looked as though he would grow to be a nice boy. He let you have whatever toy you wanted. I left as soon as you fell asleep. I had to admit that you had a great time with Derek. I brought you home and let you sleep while I listened to your father talk about his pointless grants. If only he was like Richard."

"Wait I never knew that our mother's worked with each other."

"Me either. She never said anything to me."

"Well I suppose I liked you since first glance."

"I shared my toys with you of course I liked you." He says leaning into to kiss her.

They shared a moment of smiling.

"I hate to break this but we better be getting back to work." She says to him.

"Yeah I suppose we should."

"Come on Kay time to go back to the crèche."

"You can go and take the kids. I will tidy up."

"You sure?"

"More than sure." He says smiling at her.

"Okay I will see you this afternoon." She says kissing him.

"Bye. Bye Kaylee."

"Bye daddy."

Meredith picks Cooper up and places him over her shoulder. Derek kisses him goodbye and Kaylee as well.

…

Derek leant up against the doorway of their bedroom and watched as Meredith got ready for their night out.

"The kids are ready to go to Ma's. They are bathed already and in their pyjamas." He tells her.

"Thank you."

"You look beautiful."

She blushes and smiles.

"Anyway how long do you think you are going to be?"

"Not too much longer. 10 minutes tops."

"Okay. Take your time."

They were all soon ready to go. They dropped the kids off at Carolyn's and went to the restaurant. They were seated and handed menus and had ordered drinks.

"Thank you for this."

"It's your birthday. I needed to treat my wife to this. Considering last year's we didn't have a dinner."

"Well you were a first year intern and we had a 4 month old baby who I was feeding. It was hard to go out."

"Yeah I suppose but I will make it up to you now." He says smiling. "Let's order because I am starving."

The waitress came to their table with a smile. "What can I get you guys?"

"Well we will have the assorted breads for the entrée and I will get the rump, medium to well cooked." He says and smiles at Meredith.

Meredith's pager sounds and she looks at it. "It's a 911." She says.

Derek's pager then sounds and he looks at it. "911. Sorry we're going to have to skip dinner."

"No worries."

"Here's the money for our drinks. Keep the change." He tells the waitress.

They leave the restaurant in a hurry and rush to the hospital and into the ER to find out what has happened.

"Meredith, Derek. We have an apartment fire. They are bringing in some serious injuries. Get changed and meet us back down here in the ER." Richard says walking with them. "Were the two of you out at dinner?"

"Yeah we were. Birthday dinner for Meredith."

"I'm sorry for the interruption."

"Hey it's life as a surgeon." Meredith says.

"Yes it is but you are my daughter I want you to be happy. I will shout you and Derek a dinner one night to make up for this."

"You don't have to."

"Yes I do. Now, hurry up and get back down here for the good cases."

"I guess having the Chief as your step dad has its perks." Derek says.

"Yeah free food." She says smirking.

Derek leans in and kisses her and laughs.

**What'd you think? Let me know. **

**I'll try and update in the next few days.**

**Next chapter will be 2 weeks later and a typical work day for Meredith and Derek.**


	72. Something I've Managed To Do

The hard on call beds had been what Meredith and Derek had spent the past week on. They had the kids in tow with them because they both weren't at home and they wanted to spend time with them. The past month since Meredith and Kaylee's birthday had been a busy time at the hospital. The first 2 weeks were school holidays which usually meant injuries involving kids and drivers. But the holidays seemed to extend an extra 2 weeks. It had just been that they had barely made it home. One of them dropped home once a day to feed the cat and dog and grab clothes, nappies and bottles for the kids.

Meredith's pager vibrated from beside her. She had shared a bed with Cooper that night and checked her pager. Careful not to wake him. She sighed when she was being paged by the pit. Carefully sitting up she placed her shoes on and scrub top. She laid Cooper down with Derek and kisses his forehead and he wakes.

"Go back to sleep. I'm being paged."

"What time is it?"

"Just 4 o'clock."

"Okay." He says drifting off back to sleep.

She leaves the on call room quietly and heads down to the Pit.

"Grey. You were here quick." Bailey says.

"Yeah I never left last night. I haven't left for the last 7 nights."

"Have you and your husband spent the last 7 days in the on call room?"

"Yeah well we have patients who are high demanding and we can't leave just in case." Meredith says yawning.

"What do your kids do in that time?"

"They stay with us in the on call room."

"Your poor kids."

"Yeah I know. We are terrible parents."

"It gets like that Grey." She says. "Now we have a pregnant female being brought in. She is pregnant with quintuplets."

"Quintuplets?"

"Yes quints. The others will be in later but you are a mum you will understand what she is going through."

"Well I have only had singular births I haven't had 5 babies at once."

"Well you will connect with her better than let's say, Yang."

"Okay you have a point. How far away is she?"

"About 5 minutes."

"Well can I go and pee and meet you back here?"

"Sure. We are waiting on someone from OB."

Meredith headed to the bathroom and passed Derek.

"Hey what are you doing?"

"Incoming is coming in."

"The kids?"

"I couldn't wake them. They are still asleep in the on call room. I have a nurse watching them."

"Oh okay."

"What do you have?"

"A pregnant woman with quints on her way in. Bailey paged me because I will be able to connect with her considering I have been through this."

"Oh well you have fun."

"I will." She says kissing him.

Meredith met up with Bailey and the OB. They were settling the mother in the room.

"Oh Dr Grey thanks for joining us." Dr Dean says. "Dory this is Dr Grey. She will be your intern."

"Dr Grey is a great intern. One of the best." Dr Bailey says. "I chose her because she will connect with you better than some of the other interns."

Meredith just smiled at Dory and she smiled back.

"Dr Grey how many kids do you have?" Dr Dean asks.

"I have 2."

"Awe, how old are they?" Dory asks.

"I have a 5 year old daughter and a 1 year old son."

"That's precious. You're only an intern. Isn't it hard to be a mother and an intern?"

"Yeah it is. At the moment it is. I have barely been home but I shouldn't complain. I love this job. I love my kids as well. It's just something that I can do."

"Well it's great that you do both. I had to quit work. I already have three 4 year old boys at home."

"You have triplets and now you're having quints."

"Yeah I wanted a girl. We didn't expect 5 girls."

"My friend had triplets in June. I couldn't have triplets just the things that she had to go through. I vowed to my husband that we would not have multiples."

"Well you manage. That's what you learn to do. Manage."

"I've managed as well. For those years before my daughter was born. Those years when I raised my siblings I managed. I managed when I had my daughter when I was 18. It's just something I've learnt to do. I suppose I could manage but I will wait a while."

Dory just smiled at her. Meredith knew that things were going through Dory's mind.

"Okay we will be by later. Rest up Dory." Dr Dean says.

The three doctors leave her room.

"Okay I am going to go and run these tests and we will have doctors paged to come by and see her. Dr Grey you will be paged whenever something happens. So be close by." Dr Dean says leaving.

"Grey I will see you for rounds in 30 minutes. Go eat, go do whatever. I will see you soon."

"Thank you. I need to check the kids."

Meredith headed down to the on call room her and Derek were asleep in earlier. She opened the door and saw the kids still asleep. She sat down beside the kids and stroked their heads. She hated waking them when they looked so peaceful. Cooper started stirring and sat up and saw Meredith and smiled.

"Hey baby boy. Come here." She says pulling him into her arms and hugging him. "We will sleep at home soon baby boy. It's just a little crazy."

"Dada?"

"His working. He will see us later."

"Mummy."

Meredith turns seeing Kaylee waking up.

"Hey baby girl."

"What time is it?"

"Nearly 5 o'clock."

"Oh. Where's daddy?"

"He had a patient. I had some time before rounds so I thought I could change your clothes and we can go and get some breakfast and I will take you to the crèche?"

"Okay Mummy."

"Let's go to the locker room."

She carried Cooper and held Kaylee's hand. They were still half asleep. George was already in the locker room.

"You're here early?" George says.

"Didn't leave last night."

"You haven't left here in the past week. You need to go home. You kids can't live in the hospital."

"I know. I'm a bad mum but I am always on call or get a patient who needs watching 24/7."

"You need to ask Bailey to go on scut."

"I would but I am on a woman who is pregnant with quints. I am only on the case because I have kids and I connect with patients. I need to not be a babysitter or a baby watcher. I need to be an intern because I am great."

"Hey you are great. All the doctors know that you are great. You got here because of how talented you are. You are so smart and already a great doctor. I wish that I was half the intern you are already. You are great. You do everything and still manage to be a mother. Just ask Bailey just this once."

"Okay George." She says smiling. "I'm going to change the kids and get them fed."

"I will see you at rounds."

Meredith changed the kids and got them fed before dropping them off at the crèche.

"Dr Bailey can I have a word with you please?" Meredith asked.

"What is it?"

"I need to not be on a service today. I need to go home tonight with my kids and sleep in my own bed. I need to tuck my own kids into their own beds. I can't stay another night in the hospital because I feel like I am a bad mother leaving them here all day and night. So can you maybe give the case to Steven's and put me on scut or something."

Bailey just stood there. "I wanted you on this case because you are a mother and you know what she is going through. You connect well with patients." She says. "But you are also a mother. You have responsibilities and you have been at this hospital for a week straight doing high profile cases. I will let you do scut for the day but just this once. Steven's better be good or I will regret my decision for doing this."

"Thank you so much."

"Grey I'm only doing this because I will be going through exactly what you and Dr Shepherd are."

"You're…"

"Yes I am. Just keep your mouth shut."

"I will."

"Rounds."

"Did she let you off?" George asks.

"Yeah she did. Just this once though."

"Okay we have a very important patient. She is pregnant with quints. So keep your opinions to yourself and let's go."

"Hi Dory." Dr Bailey says greeting her.

"Dr Bailey, Dr Grey. How are you both?"

"We are good. Most importantly how are you feeling?"

"Okay."

"That's good." Dr Bailey says. "Now Dr Stevens will be with you."

"What about Dr Grey?"

"Something else has come up for Dr Grey but Dr Stevens will be just as good."

"Okay."

"I will stop by Dory and see you. I promise."

"Thank you."

"Okay Stevens present."

"Dory Russel. She is 32 weeks pregnant with quints. Came in early this morning with early signs of labour. The 5 quints all have different health problems. Dory's labour has been stopped and we will keep an eye on Dory and the babies."

"Thank you Dr Stevens." Bailey says. "We will be back."

"Okay O'Malley you are with Nelson. Steven's with Dr Dean. Grey scut. Cristina with Bourke and Karev you're in the pit."

"Why did you give up the good case?" Alex asks.

"I haven't been home in a week. I needed to take my kids home and spend a night with my husband."

"Well you could be stupid for doing that or smart."

"I am smart for doing this. This is for my kids and marriage."

"Well good on you."

"Dr Grey." Derek said walking towards her.

"Hi."

"Did you take the kids to the crèche?"

"Yeah I did. Sorry I didn't tell you."

"No it's fine. Are you still on that patient with the quints?"

"Not anymore. I asked Bailey to do scut for the day so I can be home tonight."

"Well I did exactly the same thing. How about you and I have a night together. Kids can be babysat and we can have a dinner and a night out. We haven't had a night out together for a month. We haven't slept with each other for a month. We need a night together."

"Yes we do."

"So we will meet at Joe's at 7. I have a surgery so I will meet you there. I will organise a babysitter for 6.30 and you meet me at Joes."

"Okay. I am excited. You better make it a good night."

"Hey I will." He says smiling. "See you at 7."

"See you at 7." She says kissing him.

"Don't you forget?"

"I won't." She says smiling as she walks away.

Derek watches her walk away. He was hoping the night went well.

…

"Mummy when will we go home?" Kaylee asked as they sat down for lunch.

"Tonight. We will head home at 5 and then daddy and I are going out for dinner. Jasmine is going to babysit you two and daddy and I will have a night together."

"Will you dress up pretty like a princess?"

"Maybe."

"You should mummy. Daddy will think you look beautiful."

"Daddy already does." Derek says sitting down beside them and kissing Meredith's cheek.

"Hi daddy." Kaylee says.

"Hey baby girl."

"I'm going to get them some lunch. Hold Coopie for me."

"Daddy you have to make sure you turn up before mummy. You can't keep her waiting. You also have to dress like a prince. Mummy won't be happy if you don't turn up."

"Okay I'll keep that in mind."

"Oh and get her a nice present."

"Okay Kaylee."

Meredith sat back down with lunch for the 4 of them. George, Izzie, Cristina and Izzie came and joined them at the table.

"How's Dory doing?"

"She is good. She should have cut back with the fertility drugs though. She could have had 4 healthy babies and carried them longer."

"Izzie I would watch what you say. Bailey wanted me on this case but I knew you would be just like me. You have to watch what you say because she will regret this."

"Fine. Why'd you swap anyway?"

"I needed a night with Derek and the kids."

"You have had 7 nights with them."

"Not at this hospital I mean at home."

"Okay." She says. "Well you are on the pager list for when the babies are born."

"Just make sure she doesn't go into labour until tomorrow."

"That sounds kind of selfish."

"Well I am allowed to be selfish especially since I haven't had a night with Derek. My birthday dinner was interrupted. We haven't been out to dinner for over a month. We haven't been together for a month. So just this once I will be selfish."

Derek just smiles and everyone else rolls their eyes. "I love you."

"I know."

"Okay can you please cut out that crap? I want to enjoy my lunch without a mushy romance scene folding out." Cristina says.

"It's about time you get a boyfriend and experience this Cristina."

"Boyfriends take up time. I don't need one."

"Yeah well I better get back to my job." Meredith says.

"I will take the kids back. See you tonight."

"Yes you will."

"Bye mummy."

"Bye Mumma." Cooper says waving goodbye.

She kisses both their heads and she leaves.

"You can't forget daddy about the present."

"I won't. I promise."

"Be on time as well. You got to make an impression."

"Is it weird that a 5 year old is giving tips on dating?" Alex asks.

"She is a hopeless romantic. She is like a mini Derek when it comes to this stuff. She also reads a lot of fairy tales so you get a lot of tips there." Izzie says.

"She's a smart girl of course she knows what to do. She is also like Meredith. She expects exactly what Meredith expects. She is a girl as well." Izzie says.

"I can hear you." Kaylee says.

"Kaylee don't be rude." Derek says. "You picked up a lot of things from your mother."

"Yeah she did. You should have been around to stop that."

"Hey she is a mummy's little girl. She picks things up easily."

Kaylee just smiles at everyone. "It's true."

Everyone just laughs at her.

"Kaylee you are a crack up." Derek says. "I need to head to my surgery. So it's time to go to the crèche."

"Bye Kaylee."

"Bye." She says waving goodbye.

"Say by Coopie?"

"Bye bye."

As they walk towards the crèche Kaylee reminds Derek about what he has to do.

"Remember daddy that you have to be there before 7. Mummy doesn't like waiting. She isn't very patient."

"I will be there don't you worry."

"Good."

"I will see you tomorrow morning." Derek says as he hugs her goodbye. "Be a good girl for Jas."

"I will be." She says running off.

"Bye Coopie."

He leaves Cooper and walks away. He had to plan to be there before 7. He had to keep that promise to his daughter.

…

"Okay come on let's go home."

"Mummy make sure that you arrive a few minutes after 7. It keeps daddy waiting."

"How do you know about this stuff?"

"Well I hear you all talk."

"You need to be a kid and not a grown up but yes I was planning on leaving here a little later."

"Good and make sure daddy treats you like a princess."

"You really are like your father aren't you?"

She nods her head smiling.

"Come one lets go."

Arriving home felt good. Kaylee and Cooper ran off to play and Meredith went to see the cat and dog. They were pleased to see her and Meredith fed them.

"I'm going for my shower. Come and get me if anything is wrong."

Meredith showered and got ready for the night. She had to dress to impress.

"Mummy you look pretty." Kaylee says from behind her.

"Thanks sweetie. Do you think Daddy will like this?"

"Yes he will. He will think you are beautiful."

"Good. Do you think I am ready?"

She looks at Meredith long and hard. "Yes you are."

"Okay that's good."

Jasmine arrived and Meredith hung around waiting a while before leaving. Pulling up at Joes she walked inside. Cristina and George were there at the bar.

"Hey."

"You look nice." George says.

"Thanks. Now have you seen Derek around?"

"No we haven't."

"Okay." She says sitting down on a stool.

"He will be here. His surgery might have run late."

"Yeah hopefully."

They sat talking for 15 minutes and Derek still hadn't showed up. "You know what I think I'm going to go home."

"You sure?"

"Yeah I am. No use waiting around for him if he has forgotten."

A crashing nose draws there attention to Joe passed out on the floor.

"This is not good." George says.

"We have to get him to a hospital."

"No hospital. I'll be fine."

"You passed out and hit your head. You're not fine. You also know how dirty this floor is."

George walked with him over to the hospital. Meredith and Cristina followed and waited around.

"What time is it?" Meredith asks.

"8."

"Derek is extremely late."

"I'm sure he had a good reason."

…

Derek woke in the on call room. He checks his watch. He was 45 minutes late. We was kicking himself for being late. Meredith was going to kill him. He changed his clothes and ran over to the bar.

"Where's Joe?" He asks Mark.

"He was taken over to the hospital by your wife. She looked really dressed up. Where was she going?"

"We had a date. I fell asleep in the on call room."

"Dude are you serious."

"She's gonna kill me."

"Yeah she is. You better go and find her."

"Dam."

"Hey Derek did you know when you were marrying Addison she was hooking up with random men?" Mark asks.

"No I don't."

"Okay. Just thought you would have known."

Derek leaves the bar and goes to the hospital. He finds Meredith with everyone else. They all body block him as he tries to get to him.

"Meredith we need to talk."

"I don't want to talk to you here."

"Fine let's go home."

They both leave the hospital and drive home. Meredith doesn't say anything the whole trip.

"Your back already?" Jasmine asks as they walk through the door.

"Yeah our reservations were cancelled. We have planned another night to go out." Derek says.

"Okay. Well I will see you to later."

"Do you want a lift home?" Derek asks.

"I was going to walk."

"It's raining outside. You don't want to walk."

"Thanks."

Meredith changes her clothes and lies down in bed. Both kids were asleep already.

Derek came home and knew were Meredith would be.

"You were an hour late. Where were you?" She asks with her back turned to him.

"I fell asleep."

"You feel asleep when we had a date planned. You planned our date and you fell asleep."

"I've had a big week. I've barely slept."

"Me either. You don't see me falling asleep."

"Meredith, don't do that."

"Derek we haven't been together in over a month. I was looking forward to this night and you go and fall asleep in an on call room. I wanted to be held in your arms and have a dinner for just us not cafeteria food. You really know how to treat a lady don't you." She says sitting up facing him.

There was a silence between the two of them.

"Tell me about the time when we weren't together. What did you do? Did you go to bars and meet random men and bring them home."

"What are you talking about?"

"Meredith don't act dumb. I know exactly what you did."

"Who told you?"

"Mark did."

"Fine do you want to know why I did that? I was lonely. The man I loved was with another woman. I was a single mother. I felt so lonely it was depressing. Do you know what is even more depressing? I would sleep with them there because I didn't want to bring them home and let them listen to me cry myself asleep. I was upset. You can't bring this up because this was a completely different situation." She says with tears filling her eyes. "You were no help either. I was almost at a point of depression because I was alone."

Derek just sits there and looks at her. "Why didn't you tell me about the sadness?"

"Because then you would have acted differently and been at my watch a constant 24/7. I would have had people looking at me differently. I couldn't say anything."

Derek pulls her into his arms and holds her.

"Meredith you should have. This is partly my fault for this happening."

"Derek, don't be stupid I wasn't ready."

"You were ready. I just jumped the shark." He tells her. "I'm sorry about tonight."

"I'm sorry as well. Life happens. We are both surgeons I should understand. I was being selfish."

"You are allowed to be. We haven't held each other in a month. I just wish that I kept Kaylee's promise."

"We will pretend that you did." Meredith says to him.

He wipes the tears away from her eyes and kisses her before leaning her back onto the bed.

"We're doing this now because I need to hold my beautiful wife."

…

The next morning they woke with a smile on their faces.

"Morning." He says kissing her lips.

"Hmm."

"Last night was good. Pretty steamy reunion."

"It was. I don't think I can move."

"Well we have work today."

"Dam. It's gonna look like I was riding a horse."

Derek just laughs. "You are beautiful. We will have a night together."

She smiles at him. "Yes and not after a week sleeping in the hospital on those cardboard thin beds."

He kisses her again and smiles. "Kaylee was so on my back to be early and give you a present. I broke that promise."

**Here's the next chapter. Just thought I needed to throw that into the mix. A bit of tension between the two of them.**

**Anyway next chapter I will have up in a few days and it will be the triplets christening.**


	73. Especially To Each Other

The weekend soon came. The day before Richard had enforced the 80 hour work limit which was great. Meredith and Derek were sent home for the whole day yesterday. They spent the day with Cooper while Kaylee was at preschool for half the day. They took him to the park along with Peanut and they pushed him on the swings and let him run around.

This weekend though was the triplets christening. Meredith and Derek had asked not to be paged for the whole weekend. To become godparents they thought it was important not to miss out on the christening.

"What time are we leaving?" Derek asks.

"10. It starts at 11. We are going to drop by Steph's and drop off some things and head to the church."

"Okay. What exactly are we dropping off?"

"Our clothes for the night. Did I forget to mention that we are babysitting the triplets for the night?"

"Yeah you did. Since when was this happening?"

"As soon as we got the invitations. Steph and Dan just want to see if we survive looking after the triplets in case something does happen to them. Their coming here for the night and looking after Kaylee and Cooper."

"Thanks for the warning."

"No worries." She says slipping into the dress. "Can you zip me up please?"

"So do you think we will cope with 5 month old babies?" He says as he zips her dress up.

"Maybe. Maybe not. You have to go into the job with an open mind. Look at our two kids. Kaylee would sleep for the whole night when she was 2 weeks old. Cooper would wake every couple of hours and we couldn't leave him alone. Babies are different. But Steph did mention what they are like. Ally sleeps for the whole night. Bowen wakes during the night for a fed and Carly is just the sleeper. She will sleep for 10 hours straight. She though wakes at 4 in the morning the same time as Bowen for a feed and she will go straight back to sleep."

"I'm scared we will get them mixed up?"

"You can tell the difference between them. Ally looks like Zoe and has the brown eyes. Carly looks like Steph and has blue eyes and Bowen you should not get him mixed up. If you do then I think you should go back to med school."

"Hey, I meant the girls." He says laughing.

"Steph told me the girls christening dresses she got a pink bow for Carly and an orange one for Ally. It will be easy. We just have to remember to colour code them and we will be fine."

"Okay I'm actually keen for this now."

"Me too. We are still in practice as well. It has been a year since we raised a 5 month old but it should be easy as."

"Are we dressing the kids yet?"

"Oh give them a few more minutes to play then we will dress them. I just didn't want them to spill anything on their clothes."

"I know what you mean."

Meredith and Derek were dressed and ready and they went and got Kaylee and Cooper dressed. They left the house and drove to Steph's.

"Mummy can I come inside with you?"

"I'm just dropping something off. We won't be staying long. You will see Sam at the church."

"Okay Mummy."

The church was starting to fill with family and friends. Meredith took Cooper from the car seat and carried him across the parking lot. Kaylee held Derek's hand and they went to wait outside with everyone else.

"Hello godparents." Nancy says as she comes up behind them.

"Hi Nancy."

"You ready for the responsibility that is to come. Triplets?"

"More than ready." Derek says.

"Good because I hope you know what you are getting yourself into."

"Hey we had Kaylee when we were 18. We know the responsibilities." Derek says. "And at least they are having a christening compared to you."

"Hey you didn't have one either for Cooper or Kaylee so don't you start talking."

Dan soon drove into the parking lot.

"Now you give me Cooper and Kaylee and you go and do official godparent duties." Nancy says.

Meredith passes Cooper off to Nancy and Derek and her walk to the car.

"Hey, we are here to help." Meredith says.

"Okay I will give you a baby to hold." Steph says stressed.

"Steph are you okay?"

"Just a little stressed out."

"Just breathe Steph. Everything will go fine."

Steph got the triplets out and Meredith carried Carly and Derek carried Bowen. Alyssa was in Dan's hands. Zoe and Sam held Steph's hands as they walked across the car park. Everyone fussed over the babies as they made an entrance and tried to hold the babies. This was the one thing that annoyed Meredith. When there were sleeping babies that was when people wanted to hold the baby. Carly was asleep in Meredith's arms and she held her over her shoulder. Bowen was awake and taking in the world around him and Ally started getting restless in Dan's arms.

Everyone entered the church and sat down. Dan took both Carly and Alyssa into his arms to hold for the beginning while Steph held Bowen. Meredith and Derek were in the front row beside Zoe and Sam.

"We are here today for the christening of not one baby but three. It is always a gift to be blessed with triplets and this is exactly what Stephanie and Daniel Baxter have been blessed with especially after the rough few years they have had. They have only been married for over a year and came together. Steph had lost her first husband in a car accident just as she gave birth to her son Samuel. Dan had also had a rough time when his wife died when Zoe was only 6 weeks old. But love and happiness brought the two of them together and they now have triplets. Alyssa Jade, Bowen Nathan and Carly Maree. These three babies just make your heart melt and bring a smile to your face." The minister says.

"Can I please ask the godparents to come up here?"

Meredith and Derek walked up to the alter and stood beside Steph and Dan.

"Can you Meredith please repeat after me?"

"I Meredith will love and care for Alyssa, Bowen and Carly when times are tough and when Steph and Dan aren't around to care for them."

"I Meredith will love and care for Alyssa, Bowen and Carly when times are tough and when Steph and Dan aren't around to care for them." She says. "I will stick by the ABC's."

"Now Derek. I Derek will love and care for Alyssa, Bowen and Carly when times are tough and when Steph and Dan aren't around to care for them."

"I Derek will love and care for Alyssa, Bowen and Carly when times are tough and when Steph and Dan aren't around to care for them."

"Now can you please say this together?" He says. "We will work as a team. As husband and wife to watch over the triplets. We will be caring and loving especially to each other."

"We will work as a team. As husband and wife to watch over the triplets. We will be caring and loving especially to each other."

"I feel like we are getting married again." Meredith whispers.

"Yeah it's a bit like that." The minister says. "We will now begin with the water. Dan can you please lower Alyssa for me and Steph can you please hold onto her as well."

Meredith takes Carly to hold while Derek takes Bowen to hold.

Alyssa starts crying as the water in poured over her forehead.

"Hey, it's okay." Steph coos to her.

"Now for Bowen."

The swap is made again and they do the same for Bowen. This time he doesn't cry as the water is poured. He just stays there smiling.

"And now little Carly who is too interested in sleeping."

The lower Carly and wet her forehead. She stays asleep the whole time and doesn't wake.

"Can we have Zoe and Sam come up here for the candle."

Zoe and Sam walk up to the alter and are picked up just as the candle is lit. Everyone holds the candle as the minister speaks more.

She was thinking that Derek and her needed to sort out their wills.

The christening was soon over and Steph and Dan went to sign the paper. Derek held Bowen and Carly in his arms and Meredith held Ally.

"I can't believe that we are now responsible for the three of them if anything happens." Meredith says.

"I know. We are going to have a huge brood if we do become their guardians."

"I know." She says smiling.

"Mummy can we go and play?" Kaylee asks Meredith.

"Sure but stay on the grass. Don't go off the grass at all."

"Thanks Mummy." Kaylee says as her and Sam run off holding hands. Zoe follows behind them as well.

"Let's go and see Cooper. He seemed a little lost." Meredith says.

Nancy stood pointing to things around the church for Cooper. Tom stood beside her with Zach in the carrier.

"Was he okay?"

"Yeah he wanted his Mummy and Daddy though."

"He is looking tired." Meredith says. "There is a bottle in my bag if you want to give him that. We should be going to Steph's soon anyway but he wants to be comforted. Don't you baby boy?" Meredith says kissing his cheek.

He holds his arms out to Meredith.

"Give me Ally to hold. He wants his mummy." Steph says walking to them.

Meredith takes Cooper and instead of staying on her hip he lays his head on her shoulder.

"He must be tired." Derek says.

"Did he have a good night?"

"A perfect night. Fell asleep at 8 woke at 7."

"He could be getting some more teeth through or coming down with a fever." Nancy says.

"I hope not." She says. "Steph is babysitting tonight."

"I'll be fine with him." She says. "Now we are going to get some photos and head to my house."

"Sounds good." Meredith says. "Oh and the kids are outside playing."

"That's fine."

Photos were taken with the godparents and the parents. Cooper was drinking his bottle and stood beside Meredith as they took photos. He made an appearance with Kaylee, Sam and Zoe.

"Okay we can go now." Steph says.

They pulled up outside Steph and Dan's house. People wouldn't arrive for a little while so it gave them time to prepare the food and drinks. The triplets lay in their swings and Cooper was in Meredith's arms as he drank his bottle and while she prepared the food with Steph.

"I'm so glad we aren't feeding 100's of people." Steph says. "I'm glad Dan isn't part of an Italian or Greek family and there are billions of relatives."

"I know the feeling. Derek isn't Italian or Greek but my god he has a big family. He has 4 sisters and 2 of them have 7 kids between them. I can't wait until Alice and Amelia have kids and it will extend the family even more."

"Well I'm going to have a big family. Especially grandkids. If they have 2 kids each that makes it 10. If they decide on more I'm going to have to hire halls for family dinners and Christmas's and birthday parties."

"That's like the Shepherd's on a Sunday night. It's a little too crowded." She says. "And its going to keep getting crowded."

Steph and Meredith just laugh. Derek and Dan walk into the kitchen and Derek comes up behind Meredith and kisses her cheek. Cooper had fallen asleep over her shoulder and his bottle was still in his hands. Derek kissed his head.

"Do you want me to take him and lay him down?"

"No he is fine." She says looking down at him. "Besides I need some time with my baby boy." She says smiling at Derek.

"I know." He says taking the bottle from Cooper's hands. "I'll get the pram from the car for later."

"Thank you."

…

"Thanks for coming." Steph says saying goodbye to the guests who came to the lunch.

All the guests had left the house.

"So now it's time for us to leave." Steph says to Meredith and Derek.

"Okay then. We are ready." Meredith tells her.

"Good." She says. "Now they should be up at around 5. So you have over an hour of peace and quiet…"

"Steph stop there we will figure this out. We have raised 2 kids already. It won't be hard to figure this out." Derek tells her.

She smiles a knowing smile. "Okay."

"Now go to our house and have a quiet night. Aim for Cooper and Kaylee to be in bed before 8.30 and you won't hear a peep all night."

"We will." She says. "Okay Dan lets go."

They left with Kaylee, Sam, Zoe and Cooper. They just looked at each other. The house was quiet and they were alone just waiting for the babies to wake up.

"What do you want to do?" He asks wrapping his arms around her.

"I honestly don't know. It's been a while since we have had a really quiet house."

"It really has been." He places a kiss on her temple. "I do want to change out of these clothes though. They are very uncomfortable."

"You're just saying that as an excuse to get a little bit naked."

"A little bit naked." He says laughing. "You're a cutie. You've picked a lot of habits up from Kaylee."

"I know. She's picked a lot up from me as well."

"She really has. She has spent too much time with you and Cristina."

Meredith smiles at him. "Let's change and relax for a while."

She grabbed the baby monitor and headed upstairs with Derek. They changed their clothes and lay down for a while in each other's arms.

"If tonight goes well, will you be okay with having multiples?" He asks.

"That's something that usually happens naturally and you can't stop it." She says. "I will be fine with twins maybe triplets but I don't think I could handle having quads or quints or sextuplets. I would have to be so careful and spend a lot of time at doctors. I would look like a bus if I had sextuplets. You can have so many complications with multiples but yet again when you have one baby they can have so many complications."

"That would be a crazy experience. I know what you mean. It would be the constant doctor check-ups. All that time off work and you are right about one baby they can have so many complications."

"I would love all our babies anyway even if I did have sextuplets. I would love them with all my heart." She says. "Would you still think I am beautiful if my belly was the size of a bus and I wrapped it in cling wrap?"

"I think you're beautiful all the time. You are even more gorgeous when you are pregnant. You would make it hip having sextuplets."

"Set a trend. I would like to see that happen." She says.

The baby monitor sounds the cries from the babies and Derek checks the time. "Steph was right. 5 o'clock wake up."

They enter the nursery and all three babies are awake.

"Will we take them downstairs?" He asks.

"Yeah and we will let them play."

Derek takes Bowen and Ally from their cribs and Meredith grabs Carly. They take them down to the lounge room and lay them on their play mat. Derek and Meredith sit on the mat beside them.

"Steph said that Bowen is getting the hang of commando crawling. Sam and Zoe have been trying to teach the babies to crawl."

"I think it's great when they start crawling but you have to watch them all the time. Like Cooper he got into a lot of things."

"Well it's all part of growing up. It's bound to happen."

"They've grown so much."

"I know. They are already 5 months old. It's crazy."

The triplets all interact with each other and play and smile. It made Meredith cluckier and Derek noticed the smile that she wore.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Just how cute they are."

"What else?"

"I wouldn't mind trying for a baby again soon."

"How soon?"

"I'll think about it."

"Okay."

…

"It's dinnertime you three." She says to the three babies.

She carries the two girls into the kitchen and to the feeding table they have. She grabs Bowen and sets him in the chair. She places their bibs on.

"How are we going to do this?" She asks.

"Well if you want to sit there and feed the three of them at once and I will make our dinner."

"Okay. I will attempt this."

"Just feed them one at a time. I'm sure that's how Steph and Dan do it."

Meredith looks at Ally who is smiling. She gives Ally a spoonful and then goes to Bowen and then to Carly. She repeats the motion and they don't fuss. She was certain that they were used to this so they didn't fuss. She fed all three of them successfully and cleaned them down.

"Where will we put them now Derek?"

"Dinner is ready so maybe on their mats again. We can eat and watch them."

"Sure thing."

The babies played and Meredith and Derek watched them. They didn't make a fuss at all as they played with their toys.

"These are so well behaved." Derek says. "More behaved then Conner and Caitlin when they were this age."

"I know they were very needy and a little spoilt. I suppose because it was Nancy and Tom's first kids and they spoilt them."

"Nancy does that with all 4 kids. They are going to be spoilt."

"Kaylee and Cooper aren't spoilt are they?"

"Far from it. I suppose we did spoil Kaylee for the first few months but who doesn't. I don't think they are spoilt."

"That's good. I do suppose though for 2 years Kaylee went between us and never had us at home at the same time. She loves being with both of us. So she has all the excuses to spend time with us but that's fine. I know some parents who don't let their kids sleep in their bed. If they fall asleep they carry them back to bed."

"I love sleeping with them. I know it interrupts alone time but that's a sacrifice you make when you have a baby."

"I think you're a great dad." She says kissing him.

"So are you. You're so relaxed and carefree you let the kids be what they want."

"I'm doing the different parenting style compared to my mother. She was never there and if she was would never have time for me and wouldn't let me do what I wanted. I am being there for the kids. Making time for them and let them do things that they want in retrospect it has to be safe and responsible because I don't want to see them arrested."

"Me either."

"I think we should start bathing them. It will most likely take an hour to bath the three of them."

"How does Steph bathe them?"

"She uses either the bath or the kitchen sink. I say we use the bath because it's bigger."

"I will bathe them and you can dress them."

"Okay that's a good plan."

"I will go run the bath and I will come down and grab Ally."

Derek disappeared and they started the task of bathing the babies. Meredith dried them and dressed them as they were bathed and would get their bottles ready. When Bowen and Ally were dressed she sat in the rocker and started to feed both of them. Derek came in with Carly bathed and her bottle and went and sat in the other chair.

"You're a natural feeding 2 at once."

"I've seen Steph and Dan do it this way. It's a lot easier the only thing is that when you have to burp them and get them to sleep."

"We will figure that out together."

The three babies were soon fed and almost asleep. Meredith burped Ally and Bowen at the same time. Derek got Carly asleep and he took Ally from Meredith.

All three babies were asleep by 8.30. They thought it was record time. Steph called and checked in with them and Meredith proudly said that they were all asleep.

It was later that night when they headed to bed. They lay beside each other again and Derek had her pulled into his chest.

"So when are we going to do some baby making again?"

"I was thinking after Cooper is 2 and a half because I will be halfway through my second year or residency and things will have slowed down. So that gives that time between Cooper and the next baby and we can start trying and experience that moment."

"Yes because we technically have not tried for a baby we just get drunk, have sex and conceive children at inappropriate times."

"We have a bad habit. Just hopefully the next one won't be around at an inappropriate time."

"Well we have managed with these things. Its life you adapt just like how I would adapt if we had a multiple birth or if Jackson and Jasmine fell pregnant. Or if Charlie decides that she wants to marry a chick. I would be fine."

"Me too." He says kissing the back of her head. "Still it's a lot of effort raising multiples. Let's try not conceive multiples."

"Totally agreed."

…

The next morning they woke to the babies. It was 6.30 and they knew that they were ready. Meredith had fed Bowen at 4 that morning and he went straight to bed. The Carly and Ally slept the whole night.

Meredith went to get up and help him but he stopped her.

"No you woke up with Bowen I'm going to wake up with both of them and I am going to feed them and change them. You have a sleep in."

She just smiled at him. He kissed her lips and left.

He carried two of them down and then went back for the third. He made them their breakfast and started to feed them. He fed them successfully and changed them one by one. He then made coffee and breakfast for Meredith and carried it upstairs to her. Carly wanted to be with Derek so he carried her up to Meredith. She sat happily on Meredith's stomach as she drank her coffee.

"I'll go and get the others."

Meredith played with Carly and she smiled away at Meredith.

"Carly you are a cutie." She says kissing her cheek. "You remind me so much of Coopie. You just smile at everything. The two of you would suit each other very much."

"Are you planning weddings for our kids again?" Derek asks as he walks into the room with Ally and Bowen.

"No I am just telling Carly that she is very much like our son and that they would suit each other's personalities. I'm not brainwashing her to marry Coopie, though it wouldn't be a bad idea."

Derek just shakes his head and smiles at her. "What did I do to deserve you Meredith?"

"I think that we found each other's companies pleasing and we started our relationship and fell in love."

"I'm serious, what did I do to deserve you because you are they perfect woman. You are beautiful and smart and loving. You are there for everyone and help them before yourself. You are just amazing. I want to know how I deserved you?"

"I honestly don't know. That's something for us to realise."

"Well I love you and I mean I love you. I would shout it off the roof tops if I could."

"Well go on."

"The roof is a little too high here. Maybe somewhere else. What about the hospital, that's a nice flat roof and we love being there. Or maybe the cliff at the land then everyone will be able to hear."

"You find our favourite place to be and do it."

"Next time we are at the land the world is going to know how much I love you."

…

It was soon after 11 when Steph, Dan, Kaylee, Sam, Zoe and Cooper were back.

"So how'd it go?"

"Great. They are great babies. No trouble at all."

"That's good." Steph says. "Do you want to stay for coffee or tea?"

"No we better head home."

"Okay well we will see you in 2 weeks for Sam's party."

"Yes you will. Message me if you want me to help set up."

"Sure."

They arrived home and sat on the lounge.

"Tell me what you thought?"

"It was good but a lot of work. I'm glad we have our two singular babies." Meredith says.

"Me too."

**What'd you think? Let me know.**

**The next chapter shall be Sam's birthday party. Please read and review.**


	74. Cheesy Hopeless Romantic Crap

"The kids are having a ball Steph." Meredith informs her as she walks into the kitchen.

Today was the birthday party for Sam and he turned 5 today.

"That's good. I'm glad the weather held. I was scared it was going to rain and ruin our plans."

"You went all out again."

"Well Sam has been on the neglected side since the triplets have come. We make time for him but he still seems upset. I wanted to spoil him because I love him."

"You're a great mum. It happens when a new baby arrives though remember Kaylee she hated it for the first 6 weeks. She came around to Cooper but she still seemed sad. Have Sam help you with the babies like bathing them or fit the babies into his routine because that's what I did with Cooper."

"I've tried to do that but it's hard with the 3 babies."

"Yeah I know it always is." Meredith agrees smiling. "I'm going to check on Cooper and get him something to eat."

She walked out to the porch and Dan and Derek stood out there by the barbeque with Steph's brother Tim and Steph and Dan's brothers in laws, Jay and Ian.

"Hey, what are you up too?" Derek asks her as she passes them.

"Just checking up on the kids."

"Your checking on Cooper aren't you? You're worried about him."

"Well he is my baby boy. He is a baby. I want to make sure he is okay. I also want to get some food into him."

"I would worry about him to. I was only messing around with you."

She just smiles at him. "I'll be back."

Derek watched her as she walked away.

"How old is Cooper now?"

"17 months."

"That doesn't seem right."

"I know. It really doesn't. He was 5 months last year. He has grown quickly."

"Are you and Meredith thinking about more kids?" Jay asks.

"Yeah we are but Mer is an intern at the moment. We want to wait until work settles down. Even though it sounds crazy we are waiting for that to happen."

"Well that is fair enough." Tim says. "Dan has told me about your land is it as beautiful as he says it is?"

"It is. It's beautiful." He explains. "It's the best view in Seattle. It was Mer and mine safe haven for a few years we used to study and camp out there but now we bring the kids out there and they love it. Every year on Kaylee's birthday we go out for lunch because she was born out there and it's her favourite place."

"You will have to show me this place."

"I will. We will have a lunch or something out there and I will show off the best view in Seattle."

"Are you going to build a house?"

"Yeah we are. We are waiting until we fall pregnant again to hand in our blue prints for approval."

"Why wait. The council can take a while to approve plans. Decide on a plan and then hand them in straight away." Jay tells him.

"Yeah I suppose. We have been very busy lately so it's been hard to look over plans."

Meredith came back with Cooper on her hip.

"You found him?"

"Yeah he was just watching the kids play soccer."

"Oh I thought he would have been playing."

"He's a little too young for that just yet." Meredith says. "I'm going to get him inside."

"Okay." Derek says kissing her cheek and Cooper's head and watching them walk inside.

"She's a great woman." Dan says.

"She really is."

"Steph can I just put him in the feeding table?"

"Yeah go ahead. The babies aren't using it."

"They still can't be sleeping?"

"They had a rough night last night so they are sleeping. They seem to sleep better together I discovered. Even just being in the same room but even better in the porta-cot."

"It lets them know that they aren't alone. A patient of mine had quints and one of them was having trouble breathing. Her lungs were bad. I was talking to the patient and realised that nobody wants to be alone. I went and put the baby with another sibling and she stabled amazingly. It is a comfort thing."

"Babies are very different but amazing."

"I know. I wouldn't be surprised in the years to come they feel more comfortable with each other. I suppose they also shared the space in your womb for 8 months it all comes naturally."

"I think that you should become a paediatric surgeon or join OB/G/YN. You have a gift for kids and babies."

"If I do that than I am soft. I can't wear the salmon coloured scrubs. Cristina would not hang with me anymore. She would say stuff about the vagina squad."

"The vagina squad. That's pretty good."

"It really is." Meredith says laughing.

The baby monitor sounds the cries.

"I'll be back." Steph says leaving the room.

Meredith turns her attention to Cooper and hands him his fork. "Come on eat up. Show me how good you are at holding that fork and feeding yourself. Daddy says you are very good at it."

Cooper holds the fork and starts feeding himself. Meredith's smile widens as he feeds himself. Steph walks into the kitchen with Alyssa and sits her walker. She leaves the room again.

"Baa." Alyssa says.

Cooper turns his attention to Alyssa and then looks at Meredith confused.

"That's Alyssa." She says trying not to get him confused with Alice. "You know Ally."

"Aunt Al?"

"No not Aunt Ally. She is Aunt Alice. This is Alyssa."

He nods his head and continues eating.

"What are you doing Ally?" Meredith coos to her.

"Baa." She says pointing.

"That's Cooper. He's a baby like you to."

Steph comes back into the kitchen with Bowen and Carleigh. She hands Carleigh to Meredith to hold and sits Bowen in his walker.

"Hello Miss Carleigh. How are you?" Meredith asks her picking her up in the air and lowering her back to stand on her lap.

Carleigh smiles and starts sucking her thumb when she notices Cooper in the table. She looks at him confused and starts crying.

"Hey Carleigh its okay. That's only Cooper. His having some lunch." She tells the baby. "Do you want to go on the swing?"

Carleigh continues to cry.

"Take her for a walk. She loves the swing."

"Where is her hat?"

"There should be one near the back door."

Meredith carries Carleigh out and places the hat on her head.

"What are you doing with my baby girl?" Dan asks.

"She is upset because Cooper was in the feeding table."

"Yeah she doesn't when other babies are in the table."

"We're going to go swing aren't we." She says.

"I'll come." Derek says.

They head down past all the kids running around and to the swing. They put her in one of the three swings and start pushing her. She starts to smile each time and claps her hands.

"She's a cutie isn't she?" Derek says. "She reminds me of Cooper a little bit."

"She really does. Come to think of it."

"You enjoying that Carleigh?" Derek asks her.

She smiles even more and Meredith and Derek share a smile between each other. He was wondering what she was thinking.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Everything. Well how the triplets are making me very clucky again. Cooper I know is only 17 months but he is growing and will not be a baby anymore."

"Yeah I know what you're saying but we can enjoy the time with the triplets and let them make you clucky for a year or so. We will have another baby in no time."

She just smiles at him but there moment is stopped when they hear crying. They find the kids gathered around the play set. Derek runs towards the crowd and Meredith takes Carleigh from the swing and follows Derek.

"Kids what happened?" Derek asks.

"Sam he fell from climbing wall." Kaylee says. "Is he okay daddy?"

"I will see."

"Kaylee why don't you go and get Steph and Dan." Meredith tells her.

Kaylee runs off and Meredith kneels beside Derek as he examines Sam.

"Is it his arm?" She asks.

"Yeah it is. It doesn't look good." He says. "His going to need to go to hospital."

"Meredith what happened?" Steph says running towards them.

"Sam he fell from the climbing wall. We think he has broken his arm."

"Oh god."

"It's okay. He just needs to go to hospital for x-rays. Derek and I will take him."

"No its fine." Dan says. "We will take him."

"You don't want to stay for the party?" Meredith asks.

"No I want to be with Sam. Mine and Dan's families are here and they will help you out for a few more hours."

"Okay then. Go to the hospital."

"I'll ring ahead as well and let them know you are on your way in."

Dan picks Sam up into his arms and they head to the car.

"Mummy I want to go with Sam."

"You're better off staying here sweetie."

"Please mummy he's my best friend I want to stay with him and make sure he is alright." She says.

"Okay but be a good girl and take care of him."

"I will." She says hugging Meredith and catching up to Steph and Dan.

"Is Sam going to be okay?" One of the kids asks.

"He will be fine. How about we have some lunch and take a break." Derek suggests.

"Okay."

"Come on then let's come and sit at the table and we will bring the food out."

Meredith takes Carleigh inside and sees Kim looking after the babies.

"We're going to bring lunch out to them now." Meredith says sitting Carleigh in the feeding table.

"I'll watch the babies."

"Okay then. I will relieve you when I get them all settled."

"That's fine."

"Do you know where Cooper is?"

"Oh he is in the play room with Tim."

"Thank you."

Meredith starts to carry the trays of party food out and all the adults there help out with feeding the kids. Steph's parents, her sister and brother, and Dan's sister along with their in laws.

Derek came and joined them.

"The hospital knows that they have Sam coming in. They have triage and the x-ray set up waiting for them."

"Okay that is good." She says. "Have something to drink Derek. I'm going to go and trade places with Kim."

Meredith heads inside and sees Kim getting the triplets food ready and can hear the triplets crying.

"Hey you go and have a break. I will feed the babies."

"I'm just worried about Sam. I want to be with him."

"Sam will be fine. You go take a break and walk around. The triplets can tell that something is wrong by the way you are. I will feed them and everything and you go and be with your kids. Steph will call when she has news as well."

"I don't usually freak out like this it's just…"

"I know. Your Sam's aunt and you are worried about him. You are a mother as well and you fear the worse when something happens. I've been there. I remember not too long ago when Cooper was finally learning to climb the steps he took a tumble on the bottom step. I had a freak out and was going to rush him to hospital but he didn't cry he just smiled and kissed me. I freaked out because I'm a mother. You do that."

"Thank god it's not just me."

"Most parents do that." Meredith says smiling at her.

"I feel like the worst aunt. I can't keep my nieces and nephew happy."

"It's okay Kim. They are fine. They are just hungry." She says sitting down on the chair. "And you are as well. Now go before I get your husband in here."

Kim left and Meredith turned her attention to the babies. She made a few faces to settle them and then started feeding them. Cooper wandered into the kitchen.

"Hey baby boy. What are you doing?"

"Mumma." He says holding his arms up.

She picks him up and holds him as she feeds the babies.

"Are you tired baby boy?"

He snuggles into her chest and holds her shirt in his fists.

"I'll get you a bottle soon Coopie."

The triplets were fed and still sat in their seats. She makes up a bottle for Cooper. Derek walks into the kitchen.

"Hey need some help?"

"I was making a bottle for Cooper. Do you want to look after the triplets while I get him settled or do you want to settle him?"

"I'll watch the babies for you. Have they been fed?"

"Yeah they have. They will most likely play for a bit, have a nappy change and they should be ready for a nap."

"Well I will babysit."

"Is the pram on the front porch?"

"Yeah it is."

Meredith carries Cooper to grab the pram and sits him on the lounge while she opens it. She sits back down with Cooper and holds him while he drinks his bottle. He finally fell asleep and Meredith laid him in the pram.

"Is he asleep?"

"Yeah he is." She says. "Let's put them on the swing again."

They carried the babies out to the swings and sat them in the swing. All the other kids were out and playing again.

"I hope his arm isn't that bad." Meredith says.

"I know. Just hopefully a simple breakage and not broken in 4 different places."

"Remember last year Kaylee had a bleeding nose and how worried all the kids were especially Sam. This time rounds it's a broken arm and Kaylee begging to go to the hospital with him."

"He is her best friend. She wants to be there for him. I was there when you got your tonsils out. I didn't want to leave your beside."

"I know you didn't." She says. "You hated leaving my side when I was sick."

"Well look at the day you were home with a broken nose. I didn't want to leave you. I did and then we conceived Kaylee later that night. Those days you were home after you had your tonsils out I always waited until you went to sleep before I left. I always held you in my arms and let you fall asleep. I would always hate leaving you."

She smiles at him and continues to push Carleigh and Alyssa. "I don't know how I deserved you."

"That's my line. You can't use my line." He says with a playful smile.

"Well why did I get you?"

"Because we are made for each other."

"Your cheesy hopeless romantic crap again."

"Hey it is true."

The triplets soon were starting to fall asleep. Derek and Meredith put them to bed and then got deserts out for the kids since the party was coming to an end. The kids ate jelly cups and fruit and soon went home with party bags.

"It's taking a while." Kim says.

"It always does." Meredith and Derek say in unison.

Dan and Steph's family soon left and Meredith and Derek played with Cooper and cleaned up the house. Presents were left unopened and the birthday cake was still untouched. The triplets were also sound asleep but it was soon time for them to wake.

Just before 5 Steph, Dan, Kaylee and Sam came walking in the door.

"Hey Sam." Meredith says to him.

"Go show Aunt Meredith and Uncle Derek your arm Sam."

Sam walks towards Meredith and Derek and Meredith picks him up.

"He broke his wrist and his arm." Dan says.

"Is it sore?" Meredith asks him.

"Not anymore because Kaylee kissed it better. So did mummy."

"Tell me why you picked this colour for your arm?" Derek asks pointing to his arm.

"Blue is my favourite colour. It's a nice blue."

"It sure is." Derek says agreeing with him.

The babies start crying and Steph and Dan go upstairs to get them.

"Do you know that Uncle Derek's favourite colour is blue?" Meredith asks Sam.

"No I didn't. Is it really?"

"Yes it is."

They carry Sam to the lounge room and sit him on the lounge.

"Mummy I'm really hungry."

"I am as well."

"Well I will go and see what we have to feed you."

Meredith wanders into the kitchen and passes Steph. "Both kids are hungry. Do you want to put some food on or what?"

"We will cut the cake."

"I'll go and get that ready then."

She takes the cake from the fridge and lights the candles. Derek had the camera ready and Meredith walked into the lounge room and everyone started singing. Meredith placed the cake in front of Sam and he blew out the candles.

"Here do you want to cut the cake?"

"Yes please mummy."

"Hey Sam if it comes out dirty you have to kiss the closets girl." Dan says.

Sam cuts the cake and it does come out dirty.

"Oh you have to kiss the closets girl Sam." Steph says. "You have to kiss Kaylee."

Sam blushes and then turns to Kaylee and places a kiss on her lips causing Kaylee to blush.

The four adults all shared a smile.

"Oh that was cute Sam." Steph says. "Here you can give your mummy a kiss as well because I love you."

He kisses Steph as well.

"I will cut this up and you can have a slice." Dan says.

"I'll go and get some plates and napkins for them." Steph says.

Meredith was holding Cooper and watched Sam and Kaylee. They had stopped talking and sat there. Kaylee was still sitting with red cheeks and Sam sat looking down at his feet.

"They still have red cheeks." Meredith whispers to Dan.

"I thought it was cute."

"So did I." Meredith says. "It must have been good for them. I remember when I first kissed Derek and I was like Kaylee was. I had red cheeks. My heart was racing and Derek was sitting there smiling. The feeling passes and before too long they will not be shy to kiss each other."

"Let's just hope it isn't for a few years yet. I don't want to give the bird and the bees talk just yet."

"Yeah me either."

Kaylee and Sam ate their pieces of cake and Meredith and Derek decided that it was best to leave and head home. Kaylee and Sam had a quick wave goodbye rather than their usual hug.

"How are you feeling Kaylee?" Meredith asked her when they were in the car.

"Good mummy."

"You don't feel different?"

"A little bit." She says.

"She's in love." Derek whispers to Meredith.

Meredith looks at her once more and smiles.

They had dinner and a quiet night in. Derek took Cooper to bed and Meredith took Kaylee to bed and tucked her in. She then lay down beside Kaylee.

"Are you going to sleep with me tonight mummy?"

"No I was just going to lay with you until you fell asleep. Maybe talk with you."

"What did you want to talk to me about?"

"When I first fell in love and how I felt."

"Did you first fall in love with Daddy?"

"Yeah I did. It was when we had been hanging out for a few months and then we went to the movies. When we left the movies we went and sat at the park and talked. There was this moment when we stopped talking. Just looked at each other and we leant in and kissed each other. When we pulled away I looked exactly what you did when Sam kissed you. Daddy was smiling at me. I had all these feelings bubbling up inside me. Like butterflies when you get nervous. You get this feeling when you are in love and it feels right."

"I had this feeling this afternoon mummy."

Meredith smiled at her. "It's a good feeling isn't it?"

"Yeah it is." Kaylee replies. "Does that mean I'm in love with Sam?"

"Well you have to let your heart decide that."

She nodded her head.

"You let me know when you know what these feelings are okay. I want to know who you have a crush on and who you love. You gotta be honest with your mummy okay."

"Okay I will be."

"Promise."

"Pinkie promise." Kaylee says holding her pinkie up to Meredith.

"Okay you get some rest. It's the Christmas party tomorrow."

Meredith climbed up from her bed and kissed her goodnight. She left the door ajar and went to her bedroom.

"How is she?" Derek asks.

"She's good." Meredith says climbing in beside him on the bed smiling.

"What are you smiling about?"

"I'm just remembering the first time we kissed and how I felt."

"You looked just like Kaylee did."

"I know. I told her that story and how I felt. I told her how I knew it felt right and explained the feeling. She said that was the feeling she was experiencing."

"Our baby girl is in love."

"Well she hasn't said she is yet." Meredith says. "She is going to let me know when she has these feelings for someone and thinks she might be in love with them."

"You have so many promised with our daughter I'm feeling a little left out."

"Well we are girls we experience these things. You and Cooper can share these feelings and thoughts."

"Oh we will. You wait and see."

**Sorry for the delay. I have had a busy week. **

**Anyway read and review. **

**Next chapter will be the Christmas party cut short.**


	75. Family Gets You Through The Day

"I think we should always have weekends off." Derek says popping himself up beside Meredith the next morning.

"I know. Even though we have barely been home. It's great." She says smiling.

"Well we have had alone time so you can't complain." He says capturing her lips with his.

They pull apart and smile at each other. Derek's hand rolls over her bare back. The moment was perfect. A moment they didn't want to lose.

"I hate to break our perfect moment but we better get dressed before Kaylee wakes. It doesn't matter if Cooper wakes because he has bars holding him in it's just our curious 5 year old daughter." She says.

Derek just laughs. "Yes our very curious daughter. I suppose we better dress. Just wouldn't the world be great if everyone walked around naked. No judgement and no curiosity from children."

"We really should have gotten married in a field naked." Meredith says. "Just us and a nudist celebrant."

Derek laughs again and kisses her. "Well maybe when we renew our vows it can just be us in a field naked."

"God I can just picture that."

"And how does it look?"

"Like our type of thing."

They share another kiss and the baby monitor sounds Cooper's cries.

"I'll get him." Derek says kissing her forehead and standing to dress.

Meredith lay for another moment waiting for Derek to start to talking to Cooper like most mornings. This was one of the best things just listening to Derek tell Cooper about what happened today or what he hopes will happen.

"_Morning baby boy. Look at you. You are certainly becoming a big boy. You'll be taller than me in no time but lets hope that doesn't happen for a few years because I still want to be able to carry you on my shoulders as we walk along the land to the river or when I pick you up in the air after you score that winning goal at soccer. You stay small for at least another 10 years and then you can grow taller than me. I still want to see you have these moments. I missed a lot of Kaylee's moments. I don't want to do the same with you. I kick myself every day for not seeing Kaylee every day of her life. I know I missed some of your first year but I will be there every goal you score and when you start school and when you finally fall in love. I'll be there. Now let's go and see mummy."_

Meredith smiled and reached for dressing gown and wrapped it around her as Derek walked in with Cooper.

"Mumma."

"Hey baby boy." She greets him. "How'd you sleep?"

"Good."

"That is good." She says taking him into her arms. "Wow you are getting big. You are going to have to stop eating your vegetables."

Derek kissed Cooper's head and then Meredith's cheek. "I'm going to check on Kaylee and the shower."

Meredith sits herself on the bed with Cooper and turns on the TV for him.

"Tom the Tank?" He asks.

"I don't think it's on baby."

"Watch?"

"Do you want to watch Thomas the Tank Engine?"

He nods his head.

"Okay I will go and grab the DVD for you." She tells him. "Stay here sweetie."

She came back to find Cooper reading her mother's journal. She had to smile when she saw him sitting there looking at the pages so closely.

"Cooper what are you doing?"

He looks up from the journal and smiles before looking back down at the journal. Derek then comes up behind Meredith and places his hand on the back of her neck.

"What is he doing?"

"He is reading on how well his grandma treated me."

"Well he looks very grown up. What were you doing?"

"Getting him his Thomas DVD."

"He can't go a day without it."

"He really can't. Is Kaylee up?"

"She is still out." He tells her. "I'm going for my shower."

"Okay."

She puts the DVD on for Cooper and he abandons reading the book and lies on his stomach watching the screen. Meredith disappeared to the bathroom and joined Derek in the shower.

After their shower they dressed.

"Mumma look." Cooper says pointing at the screen.

Meredith came and sat beside him and laid her hand on his back. "Who's that?"

"Tom da tank." He says.

"Yeah it is baby." She agrees with him. "Let's get some breakfast Coopie."

She pauses the DVD and picks him up in the air and blows raspberries on his stomach. Derek comes over to them and he starts blowing raspberries on his stomach. His giggling fills the room and causes Meredith's heart to melt and for her to smile more.

Derek takes him from Meredith's arms and places him on his back. They head downstairs.

"Morning sweetie." Meredith says to Kaylee.

"Hi mummy."

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yes I did."

"Well how about after we eat breakfast we put the Christmas tree up then go to the Christmas party."

"Okay Mummy. What is for breakfast?"

"Whatever you want." Derek says.

"Can we have waffles please?"

"Sure. I will go and make them now for you sweetie."

"Thank you daddy."

"What colour theme do we want this year?" Meredith says sitting down beside her with Cooper on her lap.

"What colours do we have?"

"Black, silver, red, purple, blue, green and white."

"What about black, silver and purple."

"That is perfect."

"And can we please put the bauble I made in preschool up?"

"Yeah sure we can and we will put yours and Coopie's stocking up."

"If I get another sibling will they get their own stockings?"

"Yes they will."

"When will I get another one?"

"I'm not sure sweetie, we will have to wait and see."

"Okay mummy."

They all ate breakfast together as a family. It was always rare eating together and it felt good.

After breakfast Derek got the tree down from the attic along with the decorations. Meredith, Derek and Kaylee put the tree up and Cooper just played with the tinsel.

"Are you going to help us Coopie?" Derek asks him.

"No dada. I play."

"Yes you play." Derek says with a smile.

They get down to the last decoration and Derek lifts Kaylee in the air to place the star on the tree. He lowers her back to the ground and they stand and smile at what they created.

"I like it." Kaylee says.

"Yeah me too." Derek says.

"We better get ready for the Christmas party." Meredith says breaking the moment.

"I'll go and get dressed mummy."

"And clean your teeth as well."

She leaves the room and Derek swoops Cooper up into his arms.

"Come on you it's time to get dressed."

"I play dada."

"You can play later Coopie."

"I wanna play."

"No you have to get dressed now."

His faces drops and the tears start rolling down his cheeks. His crying also starts.

Derek just looks at Meredith who just shakes her head.

"Come on Coopie you can play as soon as we dress you." Derek says rubbing his back.

His lip trembles and he holds his arms out to Meredith. "Mumma."

"Oh come here." She says taking him into her arms trying to calm him. "Is dada being mean?"

He nods his head against her shoulder.

"Well you do have to get dressed. You can't go out in your pyjamas. Come on we will be quick and you can start playing again."

He nods his head again. Meredith kisses the back of his head. She carries him upstairs and Derek follows to check on Kaylee.

Meredith got Cooper to his normal happy self.

"Oh look at that belly. Whose belly is that?"

"Mine."

"Is your belly ticklish?"

He shakes his head.

"Are you sure."

"Yeah Mumma."

She starts tickling his belly and he squirms and starts giggling with her touch.

"I think your belly is ticklish. What about your feet?" She asks him. He shakes his head again and Meredith starts tickling his feet. He giggles even more.

"Stop Mumma."

"What's the magic word?"

"Pease Mumma."

"Okay I will." She says reaching for the t-shirt to put on him. "Are you happier now?"

"Yeah."

"That's good. I don't like seeing my baby sad."

Derek walks in behind Meredith and wraps his arms around her waist as she dresses Cooper.

"His happy now." She informs him.

"Are you happy now Coopie?"

"Yeah dada."

"That's good because Cooper never gets sad."

He just smiles as he is dressed. Meredith gets his pants on and then his shoes and passes him to Derek.

"Your good now Cooper. I need to do my teeth and put some shoes on and we can go."

…

"Mummy will Jackson be here?" She asks climbing out of the car.

"I don't think so baby."

"What about Charlie?"

"She should be."

"Will she take me on rides?"

"Yes she will. Only if you ask her nicely."

"I will."

"Good girl. Now place your hat on your head and let me put some sunscreen on you."

Meredith rubs sunscreen into her face and arms. Cooper was in the pram and she rubbed sunscreen into his skin. Derek pulled the visor over Cooper and they walked into the park. Meredith held Kaylee's hand as they did.

"Do want lunch Kaylee?" Meredith asks her.

"Not yet mummy."

"Well that's okay. Do you want to go on a ride?"

"Yes please. Will you come with me?"

"I suppose I will. Does Coopie want to come on?" She asks bending down in front of him.

He smiles at Meredith.

"I take that as a yes." She says smiling back at him. "Come on then."

She takes him from the pram and goes with Kaylee to line up. Derek stays behind with the pram and waits.

"Hi Dr Shepherd."

"Hi Dr Roach. How are you?"

"I am good. Did you just get here?"

"Yeah we did. Kaylee wanted Mer to go on with her."

"Well Tasha is over there with Jilly. She has started walking so we are taking turns chasing her around."

"Is Jill already 1?"

"Yeah she turned 1 a couple of weeks ago."

"They don't stay young very long do they?" Derek says.

"No they don't. This is our first child and we're trying to do the right thing and everything and try not to miss out on the moments."

"Well when you have the next kid you still get the same feeling. You always want to hold them and kiss them goodnight. You want to be at home watching their every move. That feeling never goes away when you're a parent. I got to see all these moments with Kaylee but I then became an intern a week after my son was born. So I have barely seen him have these moments."

"Derek, that's what happens when you become a doctor. Its life but you make it up to them and up to your wife. Never forget your wife."

"I never will. Mine is amazing."

"So is mine." He says patting Derek's back. "I better go and help Tasha. I will see you around."

"Sure Dr Roach."

Derek turns his attention back to his family and smiles as they start the ride. Meredith smiles at him just as it starts and he smiles back.

"Ready wave to Daddy." She tells the kids.

They wave to Derek and the smiles spread across their faces.

Halfway through the ride Derek's pager goes off. He checks it and sees 911. Then Meredith's sounds and he checks it. 911. He hears pagers going off all around the park and the doctors, nurses and other workers all moving to grab their kids or leaving their husbands and wives.

"Meredith we have to go." Derek calls out. "911."

Her smile drops and Derek looks at her with apologetic eyes.

The ride stops and Meredith gets off with the kids.

"Sorry kids we have to go."

"Why Daddy?"

"We have been paged 911. You will have to hang out at the crèche for the afternoon."

Kaylee's shoulders drop and they know that she is upset.

They make the quick walk to the hospital and go to the crèche dropping the kids off and changing into their scrubs.

…

"Chief first ambulances are pulling in." A nurse says walking up to him.

"You heard her let's go."

Meredith followed Bailey and her fellow interns. She assigned her interns to patients as they were transferred in. Meredith hadn't been assigned to any as Dr Bailey started to leave.

"What do I do?"

"Um go with Dr Shepherd."

Meredith turned on her heel and smiled. She could feel Derek's eyes on her.

"Don't say anything."

"I wasn't going to but we get to spend the day together like we planned to."

"Shepherd and Grey take this one." Dr Roach says.

The ambulances doors open and the gurney is rolled out from the back.

"Reece Dukes, 30, a resident of the neighbouring building. Fell through the front window with his wife. Landed of his back on the side walk while protecting his very pregnant wife. He has been unconscious since we got there, suspected spinal damage along with neck and back damage."

"Okay let's go Mer." Derek says as they wheel the gurney into the trauma bay.

"We need to get scans happening as soon as we stabilise him." Meredith says.

"Get him on some morphine." Derek yells checking his response to exams. "We can't jostle him because we don't know what damage has been done."

"I know." She says. "We can't do anything else until we get scans done."

"Order a CT and an MRI. It will be first in best dressed in this case."

"Can't we do x-rays first?"

"We should jump straight to the CT and MRI because he could be a ticking time bomb."

She goes to the phone to order the CT and MRI when the door bursts open and a frantic looking woman runs in.

"Reece baby. Please be okay." She says reaching for his hand.

"Miss, don't touch him. We don't know what the damage is and we don't want to risk it."

"He has to be okay. He pulled me through the window to protect me from the fire that had started. He has to be okay because we are having our 3rd child in a couple of weeks."

"We will do everything we can." Derek says smiling at her.

"Okay we have the MRI right now." Meredith tells him.

"We are taking him for an MRI and CT to see what is wrong. I will let a nurse let you know where we are okay but you need to get yourself and that baby checked out."

"Okay. Thank you." She says. "I love you baby." She says placing a kiss on his forehead.

"Let's go." He says to Meredith.

The two of them rush him up to get an MRI done.

"Poor woman." Meredith says.

"I know. Her husband was trying to protect her and he may never walk again. He might not be able to ever chase his kids around ever again."

"Derek when you get him in the machine I will go and check his wife because I am worried for her. She has to have an ultrasound for that baby because anything could happen to that child."

"Sure. I will page you when I get the scans back."

She helps him load the patient into the machine and she goes down to the ER looking for his wife.

"Hi have you seen a pregnant woman come by at all. Brown hair. She had a purple top on?" She asks a nurse.

"She just went to the waiting room."

"Thank you."

Meredith walked quickly towards the waiting room.

"Mrs Dukes."

She looked up at Meredith.

"You are coming with me to get an ultrasound while your husband is getting his MRI."

She stood up and followed Meredith to an exam room. She helped her up onto the table and started the ultrasound.

"Now I'm not a qualified obstetrician but I will do my best."

"Thank you."

Meredith ran the ultrasound to check the baby. Everything looked healthy and Meredith noticed the baby had already turned and was facing down.

"The baby is healthy…"

"Jade."

"Perfectly healthy. You're lucky you had someone break your fall."

"I know." She says smiling. She then grasps her belly and starts panting.

"How far along are you?"

"I am 38 weeks. Why?"

"You are in labour." Meredith says and then Jade's water breaks. "You are definitely in labour. I will call OB to let them know we have a baby on the way."

"I don't think we have time." She says.

"I will examine you then call." Meredith places gloves on her hands and examines Jade and sees that she is fully dilated. "Crap."

"What is it?"

"You're ready to be a mum in a few seconds." Meredith says keeping her straight face. "Just don't push yet." She tells her. "I can have some help in here." She calls out.

"I can't. I have to push." She says as she pushes.

Meredith turned back to her and watched as she delivered the baby. Nurses ran in as the baby made an appearance. She got the baby breathing and the cries filled the room.

"Is the baby okay?"

"He is healthy. You have a healthy baby boy." Meredith says.

"A boy?"

"Yes a boy. He is beautiful." She says laying him in Jade's arms. She turns to the nurses. "Can you get someone from OB down here so we can get a proper examination and also a paediatrician?"

"Right away doctor Grey."

Meredith stays by Jade's side and smiles at the baby.

"Do we have a name?"

"We were expecting another girl. We have 2 already. So we only had girls names picked out."

"That's okay he can be Baby Boy Dukes for now." Meredith says. "What are your daughter's names?"

"Bella and Ava."

"They are pretty. My daughter is Kaylee. My son is Cooper."

"I would never have thought you to have kids."

"Yeah well I do. A young mum but it's great. Parenthood it great."

"It really is."

Meredith's pager sounded and saw that it was Derek.

"I have to go. I will be back to check on you."

"Okay. Thank you so much. I don't think you expected to deliver a baby today."

"I didn't even expect to be at work today." She says smiling.

She finds Derek.

"There you are. How is she?"

"She is a mother again."

"What?"

"I just delivered her baby."

"Really?"

"Yeah I did. It was really quick though. It was great. The first baby I have delivered as well."

"It's always a great feeling."

"How is he looking?"

"He has a broken pelvis. He has a fractured back and some bleeding along his spinal cord. I have paged Dr Nelson to come and take him to surgery."

"Is that all?"

"Yes he is lucky. He did break his pregnant wife's fall. There could have been a lot more damage."

"Do you think he will walk again? Or be able to hold his newborn son?"

"Yeah he should but not for at least a couple of days."

"That's good." She says. "You will be a great neurosurgeon Derek."

"You would as well."

"I don't know what I want to do just yet."

"The vagina squad?"

"Cristina would not let me down if I done OB." She says. "I will consider anything that gets thrown my way."

"That's the spirit."

"Dr Shepherd you paged?"

"Yes. A 30 year old male broke his pregnant wife's fall and fell through a window. He has a fractured back, bleeding in the spine and a broken pelvis. The OR is booked and ready."

"Are you two going to be scrubbing in with me?"

Derek looked at Meredith and the back at Nelson.

"As much as we would want to we are going to pass. We want to spend some time with our kids."

"Fair enough. I will see the two of you later."

Meredith was dragged from the viewing room down to the crèche.

"Hi Dr Shepherd. Dr Grey. The kids are actually down at the cafeteria. They are receiving a special surprise."

"Okay." Derek says.

They find the cafeteria filled with kids and notice one of the board members with a dressed up Santa Clause.

"Look. Santa does know where we are. Remember he always know where you are."

The kids were sitting in delight. They went and found Kaylee and Cooper.

"Mummy. Daddy." She says hugging them.

"Hi baby girl. We made it."

Her smile covered her face like it was earlier that day.

"We will do the 1 year boys. Dylan Case. Byron Keller. Cooper Shepherd."

Derek picked him up and carried him up the front.

"Hi Cooper. I remember you from last you. Merry Christmas." The Santa said to him.

Cooper took the show bag and Derek took the present and they came and sat back down with Meredith and Kaylee.

Cooper tore the paper away and inside was a bike.

"Do you like that Coopie?" Meredith asks.

"Ya Mumma."

"That is good baby boy."

They waited for Kaylee's age group to come up.

"We have the 5 year girls."

"Brie Boyd. Jenna Minchin. Freda Pye. Kaylee Shepherd."

They let her walk up by herself to get her present.

"Merry Christmas Kaylee."

"Thank you."

She walks back to her family and sits down.

Cooper was more excited than Kaylee when he saw another present.

"Hey Kay can Coopie help you open it?" Derek asks her.

"Sure. Coopie help me open the present."

Cooper sat up on his knees to help Kaylee tear the paper away. They ended up opening a set for her baby doll. A pram, stroller, carrier and capsule. It was something that she had been looking at.

"Look at that Kay."

"I know mummy. I wanted it for Christmas and I got it today."

"You are a lucky girl."

Derek checked his watch and looked at Meredith.

"We I am pretty sure we are finished for the day." He says. "I just want to check on the surgery on Mr Dukes." He says. "I will go and put the presents into the car and you can go and get the kids bag and sign them out."

"Yeah sure. I want to see Jade though but I should be able to bring the kids along." She says. "Let's go."

"Mummy can I have something to eat from my bag?"

"Only one thing." She says reaching into it and pulling out some Skittles.

"Thank you mummy."

She picked Cooper up. "Will you be fine with them?"

"Yeah I will be. I will carry them both down."

"I will meet you somewhere." She says kissing him.

"See you soon kids."

Meredith carried Cooper and held Kaylee's hand to the crèche.

"Hi Meredith."

"Hi. I will sign the kids out and grab their bag if it's okay."

"Sure. Just sign and I will grab their bags."

She came back with the bag in her hand and said goodbye to the kids. They headed to the locker room and Meredith changed from her scrubs.

"Grey are you leaving?" Dr Bailey asks.

"Yes I am. I wasn't assigned to a patient. Derek was."

"I heard you delivered a baby?"

"Yeah I did."

"Good work. You can go home if you want."

"Thank you."

"Hi kids." She says.

"Hi Mandy." Kaylee says.

"Mumma." Cooper says picking up a stethoscope.

"Cooper put that down." She says running towards him and picking him up. "You are a cheeky boy."

They headed up to the maternity ward.

"Hi Mrs Dukes. Where is she? She had a baby over an hour ago?"

"Yes she is in room 2042."

"Thank you. Come on kids."

Finding the room she knocks on the door and opens it and sees Jade holding onto her newborn son.

"Hi Jade. Just wanted to pop in and see how you are going."

"Yeah I'm good."

"Have you called your family?"

"Yes I have. They are out of town. Will be here after dinner."

"I'm heading home and just wanted to say goodbye and have a goodnight."

"I will."

"Night Jade."

"Are these your kids Dr Grey?"

"Yes they are."

"Very cute. They look like the Doctor who was on my husband's case."

"Yes we are married. Have been for nearly 2 years."

She just smiled at looked down at him.

"I decided on the name James Christopher Dukes."

"A beautiful name." She says to her. "We better be getting home. Bye Jade."

"Thank you Dr Grey."

"No worries. Let's go kids."

Leaving the floor they found Derek and headed to the car.

"How is he?"

"Fine. They think he will make a full recovery."

"That is good. He will need to be fine for his son."

Derek wraps an arm around her waist and looks down at her smiling. "Let's go home change and then go to Ma's. Spend the night with our family."

"Family is who I want to be with right now."

"Family gets you through the day."

"It really does."

**Let me know what your thoughts were. I admit that most of these chapters are fillers. I apologise for that but their will be some excitement and drama filled chapters. Just hold out for those.**

**Next chapter is Kaylee's first dance concert.**


	76. Best Infant Dancer

"Kay come on you need to get up sweetie." Derek says to her.

She pushed the covers off her and sat up and wrapped her arms around Derek's neck. He picked her up.

"What's wrong baby girl?"

"Is it my dance concert tonight?"

"Yes it is. Are you excited?"

"I think so."

"Well maybe throughout the day you will be more excited."

"Yeah hopefully."

"Now I am going to work soon. Mummy isn't feeling too well. She is still in bed and won't start until later today. Poppy let her come in later. Cooper isn't well either. So you will have to get dressed while I make you breakfast."

"Okay daddy. Will mummy feel better for tonight?"

"Yes she will. She is just tired."

"That's good because I want her there."

"I know you do. She wouldn't miss it for the world." He tells her with a smile. "So get dressed and come down for breakfast."

He sets her back on the ground and she finds her clothes she is going to wear and sneaks down to see her mum. She walks to her side of the bed and kisses her nose.

"Morning mummy."

"Hey." She says opening her eyes and smiling. "Is daddy getting you ready?"

"His making me breakfast. I needed to dress myself but I wanted to come and see you and say I hope you feel better."

"I will. Just tired sweetie."

"Well I don't want you to feel too bad for tonight."

"Hey I won't. You better get dressed. Daddy needs to leave soon."

Kaylee changes her clothes and heads downstairs to eat. Her bowl of cereal on the table.

Derek had a coffee made and headed upstairs to the room. He sat it on the bedside table and sat beside her on the bed and leant down cupping her head in his hands and kissing her softly.

"Hey."

"You feeling okay?'

"Yeah just a little drained that's it."

"That's okay. It happens especially when it gets busier. Richard was okay with you coming in at 9. You will do a 8 hour shift he said."

"Okay. Well can you set my alarm for me please just in case I do fall asleep and oversleep?"

"Of course I can." He kisses her again. "I wish I could stay here and make you feel better."

"It's okay. I have Coopie here with me."

"You sure?"

"Yes I am. Now go get ready. You don't want to be late."

"Yeah I suppose." He kisses her once more. "I'm going now. Message me when you get to work."

He got up and set her alarm and then left the room. She found herself asleep again.

She woke at 8 and got dressed and made herself another coffee to go. She packed Cooper's bag and got him up and got him fed. They headed to the hospital and to the locker room. She sat him on the bench when he started crying.

"Hey I'm right here. Just give me a second."

He still cried and Meredith dressed the bests he could. She placed her lab coat on and then picked him up. She wrapped her stethoscope around his neck to wear and then filled her pockets with what she needed.

"Grey you're here." Bailey says entering the room. "Is he going to the crèche?"

"I am going to see. He isn't too well."

"Okay well I needed someone on scut for the day and I know that you aren't that well so just scut and charts for the day."

"Okay. Are the charts at the nurses' station?"

"Yes on this floor."

"Okay I will get to work."

Bailey left the locker room and Meredith looked down at Cooper.

"Come on mister you are with me for the day."

She carried him out of the locker room and down to the nurses' station.

"Morning Dr Grey."

"Morning Olivia."

"You have your son in tow today?"

"Yeah he is a little unwell. He just wants to be with me. Wants to be by my side. Isn't that right Coopie?"

He just hides into her shoulder.

"Is there the charts for me around?"

"Yes right here." She says handing her the pile of charts.

"Thank you." She says. "Let's go."

They walk down the corridor of the hospital.

"Cristina." She calls out.

"You're here. Why are you late?"

"I'm not well. Either is Cooper. What are you doing?"

"Trolling for cases. I'm in the ER but there is nothing exciting happening."

"You're trolling of course. No cardio today?"

"No Izzie is on it. Why I'm going to be a cardio god. I should be on cardio."

"You need to experience everything Cristina. It's the way it goes. I'm on scut. I'm experiencing different things."

"Yeah well you're sick."

"I better get to work. You stop trolling for cases."

"Well you go and put your baby to day care."

"He is with me today."

"Yeah and you tell me to stop trolling." She says walking off.

"I don't know what she meant by that Coopie?" She tells him. "Come on let's go and find somewhere to chart."

Sitting down in the cafeteria she sat him on her lap and let him play with the stethoscope and eat cheerio's. She filled out the charts first before going to run labs. She felt better with Cooper and every little while she would kiss the top of his head.

She wanted the day to hurry up so she could take Kaylee home and get her ready for tonight. She was excited for her daughters first dance concert. It was always something Meredith had wanted to do. She always wanted to get up on the stage and dance ever since she was young but she never got the chance. She was excited to be there and experience her daughter dance on the big stage in front of a crowd.

"Mumma."

"What's wrong Coopie?"

"Baba."

"Do you want a drink?"

"Ya."

"Do you want water or your bottle?"

"Bot."

She gathered the charts and picked them up in her arms and then picked him up. She walked back down to the locker room and pulled out his baby bag. She sat him on the ground and put the formula into the bottle and filled it with water. She shook it around and handed it back to him. He held onto her leg as she packed the bag again. She picked him up.

"Let me see how you are feeling." She places her hand on his forehead and can feel that he is cooler than earlier. "You are good my boy. Come on you can walk this time."

She gathered the charts and grabbed a hold of his hand. He still had her stethoscope around his neck. He was also wearing a light blue t-shirt. The same colour as Meredith's scrub top. He had his pair of converses on as well. Meredith just smiled. She knew that one day he would be here like her and would be the Chief of the hospital. She just knew.

"There is my beautiful wife and son." She hears.

Cooper also stopped dead in his tracks when he heard his voice. He was then swooped up into the air by Derek and he started giggling.

"Hello baby boy. You're looking brighter than you were this morning."

"He is better."

"What about you?"

"I'm okay. I get to do scut for the day."

"Well it means you will be out of here early."

"Yeah it does." She says. "Will you meet us there?"

"Yeah I will. I have my surgery that will finish after you leave. I will head straight to the concert."

"Well don't be late. Kaylee wants her daddy there."

"I won't be late. I made a promise to her and I won't break it."

She smiles at him.

"I have to go now. Have fun today and I will see you tonight."

"Yes you will."

He hands Cooper to her and kisses her cheek as he leaves.

"Come on lets go do some more charting."

They walked through the hospital finding somewhere else to sit and chart.

"Dr Grey if you have a spare minute we could use a hand in the ER." Tyler says.

"Will it take long? I have Cooper."

"We have a few patients that need to be seen and the doctor down there is swamped."

"That's Dr Yang. She isn't swamped."

"They need just an extra set of hands to see these patients."

"Yeah sure."

She carried Cooper down to the ER and sat the pile of charts on the desk.

"Thank you. I needed an extra set of hands. Here is the pile of charts."

"This better not take too long." She mumbled. "Thank you."

"Grey what are you doing down here. You are on scut." Bailey says.

"They needed an extra set of hands."

"Well give me that boy of yours. I am going to grab a bite and I will look after him for half an hour."

"Thank you." She says handing him over to Bailey. "He should be fine with his bottle for half an hour."

"Come on Cooper. You are going to hang with Miranda for a little while."

She walked away with him and Meredith looked at the first chart.

"Beth Kay." She calls out.

The female stood up with her dad and followed her to an exam room.

"What seems to be the problem today?"

"I have been nauseous for 4 days. I have had bad stomach pains that make it uncomfortable to sleep at night. I also haven't had an appetite to eat and I love my food."

"When did the nauseating feeling start?"

"Around 3 am Sunday morning."

"Okay. When did you last menstruate?"

"2 weeks ago. I am 15 I haven't had sex yet."

Meredith smiled. "It's just a mandatory question we ask." She tells her. "Have you thrown up?"

"Yeah I did but that was once. I haven't had food in my stomach to set me off again."

"Okay what about gas. Have you passed gas?"

"Yes I have."

"Okay can you lie back for me on the table and lift your shirt up." She tells her. "Now I am going to press around your abdomen and you tell me where the pain is located."

"Here?" She shakes her head. "Here?" She shakes her head again. "Okay you point to where it hurts." The hands went to above her belly and after her rib cage. "Okay what about here does it hurt here?"

"Yes."

"Okay more here or where I pointed to before."

"There."

"Okay you can sit up now Beth." Meredith tells her. "You are going to have to get an ultrasound to confirm this but that seems like the gall bladder. You've most likely had a gall attack and it has caused all this pain and discomfort. I advise you get an ultrasound done to have it confirmed. I will write you up a referral and you will have to book with a technician because they know what to look for."

"Thank you." She says.

"No worries."

They leave the room and Meredith goes to her next patient.

She spent more than half an hour consulting and pulling splinters from patients. She found Cooper and Bailey and took him.

"Thank you for watching him."

"No worries. I need the practice."

"Hey you can never get enough practice. Trust me."

"I will."

Bailey left and Meredith sat down with her pile of charts. She finished the paperwork side of it. She was now up to running labs. She went from patient to patient with Cooper in tow and took their labs. It was boring but was the only way she would be out of the hospital in time.

Cooper had fallen asleep when she was halfway through running labs. She had him over her shoulder while he slept.

"Hi Mrs Custer. I'm Dr Grey. I just need to run a few labs." She whispers.

"Of course." She says then stares at Cooper. "It's not my place to say this dear but isn't it very unprofessional carrying a baby around while you work?"

"Well yes and no. I was on scut today so it only really consisted of charting and running labs. I think it is oaky to have my son with me while I do that especially if he isn't well. If I was working in the ER with emergency cases coming in then yeah that would be unprofessional. It's easier having an unwell child with his mother rather than at the crèche crying all day."

Her patient just glared and then started smiling. "How old is he?"

"17 months."

"He is gorgeous."

"Takes after his father. Now I know this is embarrassing but can I get a urine sample and I will need to draw some blood."

…

It was 4.30 and she had all her charts completed. All the labs were filled out in the paperwork and she was ready to leave. Cooper had been great with her all day and all her patients asked questions about him and it brought a smile to their faces.

She had changed from her scrubs and went up to the crèche. She passed Richard's office and he poked his head out the door.

"Meredith."

"Hi Richard." She says turning around.

"What are you up to?"

"Well I am finished for the day. Getting Kaylee to take home and get ready for her dance concert."

"Oh yes."

"Are you going to make it tonight?"

"I will see."

"She would love her poppy there for her first concert."

"Now don't you guilt me into being there."

"Well I could bring her down here and she could guilt you into it."

"Fine I will try and be there. I will definitely be there."

"Good. It starts at 6.30 at the high school hall."

"Okay. I will try and make it."

"I will save you a seat."

She got home with Kaylee and Cooper. They had over an hour to get ready. She packed Kaylee's bag with her dance clothes and got both Kaylee and Cooper fed dinner. Charlie had called to be picked up because Jackson was staying back late at school.

They drove to the school and Kaylee was getting excited as they got here.

"Hi Miss Leah." Kaylee says excitedly.

"Hey Kaylee. You are excited?"

"Yes I am. Really excited."

"You should have seen her when I picked her up from day care."

Leah just smiled at her. "Well I will see you in there Kaylee."

Meredith paid for her and Charlie and she went and found the saved seats Jackson saved.

"Okay Charlie, Kaylee is the 4th dance so I will go and get her dressed and out the back ready with her class. Can you watch Coopie for me?"

"Yeah sure. Come to Aunty Charlie Coopie."

Meredith grabbed Kaylee's hand and they walked backstage. They found the dressing room and all the other girls in her class.

"Kaylee you made it." Olivia says running up to her and hugging her.

"Yeah I did."

"Quick get dressed. Mummy wants to get a photo of all us."

Meredith helped Kaylee get into her costume and put her jiffies on. She done Kaylee's hair and she was ready to go.

Along with all the other parents she got photos of Kaylee in her dance group.

"We are starting now so if you want to head out to the seating area. We will look after these girls."

Meredith kissed Kaylee. "Good luck sweetie. I will be watching."

"Is daddy here yet?"

"Not yet but he will be. He promised remember."

She left Kaylee and headed out to the seating area. Steph, Sam, Jackson, Jasmine, Carolyn, Amelia and Alice were sitting down.

"Hi Meredith."

"Hi Ma."

"How is she?"

"She is so excited."

"I bet she is." Carolyn says. "Is Derek coming?"

"He should be here soon. He had a surgery."

"Okay. Hopefully he doesn't miss his daughter."

Leah talked to open the concert and said how amazed she was at all the girls and their achievements. The opening dance came up on the stage and the lights were off.

"Hey." She hears whispered. She sees Richard there.

"Hi."

"Sorry I'm late."

"It's just started."

"Good. I will sneak through if that is okay."

Meredith smiled at him and let him pass. She was getting nervous that Derek wouldn't make it as Kaylee's dance neared. The 3rd dance was halfway through and she was getting a little angrier.

"Where is Derek?" Steph asks.

"I don't know. Kaylee is on in a few minutes. He promised he would be here."

"And he is here." They hear. And turn to see Derek sitting down beside Meredith. "Surgery ran long sorry."

A feeling with relief washed over her. He kissed her cheek and then took a hold of her hand. They were in the front row so Kaylee would be able to see them.

"She's on now."

Kaylee walked onto stage with her class. Their bright pink tutus lit up brightly on the stage. Kaylee had her smile on her face and when she saw Derek she smiled even more and smiled. Derek smiled back at her.

The kids being 4 and 5 just moved around the stage. Meredith's heart melted when she watched Kaylee dance. She was a natural and everyone seemed to watch her. She had her big blue eyes sparkling and her smile. Everyone's eyes were drawn to her.

Meredith didn't care that mistakes were made the little kids got away with it so much.

Derek was proud of his little girl. It was her first dance and she showed up all the other girls.

The dance ended with a curtsey and they ran off stage.

"She did so good." Meredith says with a big smile.

"She did. She is so beautiful. She is a great dancer." Derek says.

Meredith kisses him. "I better go and get her."

Meredith practically ran backstage to get her. She found Kaylee and picked her up in the air and kissed her cheek.

"Did you like it mummy?"

"I absolutely loved it. You are great sweetie."

The night went by. Kaylee had one more dance for the night and she was done. After her last dance she stayed in her jazz costume and sat on her daddy's lap watching all the other dances.

"What a night it was." Leah says at the end of the concert. "I think we should all be proud of all the girls and boys this year. I have had an amazing time teaching every single one of you and you should all be proud of yourself from the growth and development you have all done. I love teaching you all and I hope you all come back next year. I have trophies for everyone. So I will start with my youngest class. Wednesday 3.00."

That class was read out followed by the next younger class.

"Now for my Tuesday 3.30 class. Can I just say that it did not look like I would have a Tuesday junior class at the beginning of this year but I got phone calls from parents asking to put their kids into this class. It worked well because they were all beginners and were all at the same level so it made it a great year for me and the girls have all become such good friends and I hope all these girls stay together because they are strongest together." She says. "Ava Bradley. Ayla Crest. Lucy Dean. Amy Gordon. Olivia Henning. Jaala Moore. Meg Poppet. Kaylee Shepherd. Chloe Thompson. Emerson Wheeler. Libby Wheeler." She says. "That is Tuesday."

Leah continued to present out trophies to all her students and it was soon time for the major awards.

"Each year I pick 3 students from each class for my dance awards. These awards are for students who come to each lesson. Who bring smiles and ideas to class. Are willing to learn. For so many other reasons as well." She says. "Now for my infant dance award I have to say that she was a major stand out. Her first year here with me. She has been to every lesson except for 2. She was a shy girl when we first started but after the first minute with her she relaxed and she fitted in so well. Her smile brightens the room so much and I have started to call her smiley because that's all she does is just smiles. Just like tonight. Smiles all night. She is friends with all the girls in her class and she gets along with them so well you would think she is 15 years old but she is 5. She tells the class stories about herself and they just enjoy her stories and I have to coax them back into dancing because they get so intrigued in her stories. I could go on all night about her but the infant dance award goes to Kaylee 'Smiley' Shepherd."

Kaylee jumped up and Meredith almost did as well. Derek's smile grew wider and Kaylee's did as well.

After the presentation Kaylee ran to her family.

"Well look at you sweetie. Best infant dancer." Meredith says to her.

Derek had picked her up and kissed her while her family congratulated her. Cooper was asleep in Meredith's arms and she rocked him side to side as her family left.

"Okay let's get going home hey." Meredith suggests.

"Yes because I am exhausted."

"Me too." Kaylee says.

"How about you go say Merry Christmas to Miss Leah and thank her."

Leah had walked over to Kaylee before she got the chance to go up to her.

"Hey Smiley. Do you like your award?"

"Yes I do. Thank you for giving it to me."

"You were the clear standout." She says. "Are you going to be back next year Kaylee?"

"Yes I am."

"Good because you make my Tuesday's bright and happy. Merry Christmas and I will see you after the holidays."

They left the school and drove home. She got Cooper into bed and then went into Kaylee's room where Derek was placing her trophies on her dressing table.

"There we go. 2 trophies already. You will have so many more to come." She says kissing her forehead.

"I'm so proud of you Kay." Derek says kissing her forehead as well.

Kaylee smile hadn't left her face all night.

"Well night my favourite dancer." Meredith says. "Dream big about dancing."

"Yes princess sleep well."

They left her room and went to bed.

"I am so proud of her. I really am."

"Me too." He says. "Since your happy can I take advantage and get you naked and in a position that makes you scream."

"Well only if I can get you naked and in positions that make you scream." She smirks.

"I really like that idea."

**You know the routine. Read and review. **

**I'll try and update in a few days. It will consist of a day in the pit during Christmas holidays.**


	77. Its The Season Of Love

"Mummy. Daddy." Kaylee whispers.

Both stirring the see Kaylee standing there clutching her teddy bear.

"What's wrong Kay?" Meredith asks.

"I can't sleep."

"Is it the thunderstorm?"

She nods her head. Meredith pushes the covers back and picks her up and pulls her into bed with them. She moulds her body into Meredith's and she pulls the covers tight around the two of them. Derek moves closer to Meredith's body and wraps his arm around his two girls.

"I love it when it rains  
As I lie in bed at night  
I listen to it patter  
On the roof soft and light  
But then a storm may come  
And the thunder starts to crash  
The rain beats on the window  
And I see the lightning flash

I hold old teddy tight  
And sink down in my bed  
I close my eyes so tight  
And pull the covers over my head  
I feel so snug and warm  
I know that everything's all right  
I love it when it rains  
As I lie in bed at night." Meredith sings to her quietly to settle her and she does fall asleep.

Meredith soon closes her eyes and is soon fast asleep.

"We have to go to get up now Mer." Derek whispers to her that morning.

Kaylee was still in her arms and holding her teddy tightly. She rolled away from her trying to not disturb her sleeping and went and showered with Derek and they got ready around the kids sleeping. They had breakfast on the table and their clothes laid out.

"Come on Kay time to get up." Derek whispers to her.

She rubs the sleep from her eyes and gets out of bed and goes downstairs for breakfast. Derek collected Cooper from his cot. He was awake and waiting.

The morning rush finished and they made it to work. Derek took the kids to the crèche and Meredith changed her into her scrubs and met with her resident. The other interns and Mer kept their distance as they walked through the hospital and talked about Bailey's pregnancy.

"Look at her belly. She's almost as wide as she is tall." George says.

"Are her ankles swollen? Is that why she's waddling?" Meredith asks.

"What happens to us when she's off on leave?" Izzie soon adds.

"She's going on leave?" Cristina asks.

"What do you think happens when people push babies out of their vaginas?" Meredith asks.

"You should know." The four of them say.

Meredith glares at them all.

"Think we'll get a new resident?" George asks.

"Nah. They'll let us wander unattended. See how much damage we can do."

"Well you would know." Izzie says. "Hey we should all get together and get Bailey a Christmas gift for the baby. Or we could organize a Secret Santa thing."

"Okay listen, Tiny Tim, you can take your…" Cristina says.

George and Meredith move in front of her.

"Secret Santa sounds great."

"Ok." She says turning around smiling.

"We're being supportive." Meredith says to Cristina's shocked face.

For the next 40 minutes they got to experience Christmas at the hospital and how people were so pushy and loud and cheerful or downright depressed. Meredith enjoyed Christmas but it made it seem different for people who were sick and in need of hope.

Alex and her were assigned to the pit. Some sort of gift from Bailey. They wanted in on a transplant but of course Cristina received the good case.

"Damn. Heart transplant. Woulda like to see that."

"There's always tomorrow."

"Maybe for you."

"Meaning?"

"I retake the boards tomorrow. Pretty sure I'm gonna fail, which makes today my last day here, and I get to spend it doing stitches in the pit." He says walking into the bathroom.

She turns and leaves for the pit sighing. It was going to be a long day.

"Male, 44. Had a gastric bypass. 3 weeks post-op. Reported pain when we found him. Spoke about fruitcake."

"Must have torn his abdomen wide open. You'll have to fight me for this one."

"He's all yours. My parting gift." He says walking off.

She felt bad. She wanted to help him in some way.

She got him up to surgery and found Bailey and George.

"A gastric perforation just came in." She tells her.

"Damn. Alright O'Malley, take Mrs Shelton back to her room."

"Seriously?"

"Do I look like I am kidding? We'll get to her this afternoon." She says to George. "Grey scrub in."

"Alex Karev failed his boards, and he's retaking his them tomorrow. He can't study for a practical by himself. If he fails again, he's out."

"Ok, go." She says to her.

Meredith leaves to find Alex and she does in the tunnels.

"I don't know. It hurts here and here and back here."

"Any chance you got hit by a truck and forgot about it."

"You're judged by your bedside manner Alex. I wouldn't be surprised if that's why you failed the last time."

"Could you be anymore patronising? I didn't ask for your help."

"Enough with the ego, you big baby. You're just like Derek. I gave up a surgery for this. Now like I said, it hurts here and here and back here." She says lying back down. "Oh, and this morning, I noticed my poop was a funny greyish colour."

He just glares at her.

"Does this hurt Mrs Grey- Shepherd?"

"Yes Doctor."

"How about here? Does it hurt here?"

"Yes, it does."

"Ok seriously if you are that lonely, there are excellent vibrators. I can give you a catalogue."

"He failed his boards. I'm helping him study."

"You failed your practical?"

"Glad you can keep a secret Grey."

"I kept your secret. It did you no good." She says to him. "He needs our help."

"You're not serious."

"What if it were you?" She says sitting up.

"It wouldn't be."

"But what if it were?" She says to her as her pager goes off.

"It wouldn't be."

"I have to go. Be a patient. Do it for me."

"When Tiny Tim goes Norman Bates on us I'll blame you."

"Diagnoses?" She asks him.

"Gallstones."

"Yes." She says leaving him.

…

"I got another one for you." She says entering the scrub room.

"He tried to gift wrap a 70-inch TV for his wife?" She asks.

"Hernia?" George asks.

"Strangulated. Pretty ugly."

"You just know the wife hates TV. Grey is the other project covered?"

"I think so."

"Then scrub in."

"O'Malley, go tell Nadia Shelton she's off the schedule until tomorrow."

Halfway through the surgery Meredith stood watching.

"Are we using mesh?"

"Yes, the conjoined tendon is…" She says moving backwards from the table.

"Dr Bailey?" She asks. She knew too well how she was feeling.

"Just wouldn't want to throw up in the body cavity."

"Dr Bailey, are you alright?" Meredith asks her again.

"Oh, no."

"Do you need…"

"Just… I need a minute, Grey."

"When you operate, the rest of the world goes away. Hunger, thirst, pain: you don't feel it in the OR. But it's not that way when you're sharing a body with another person. Ok. All alright." She says. "Do you have a retractor?"

"Are you sure you don't want me to find someone to take over for you? I know how you are feeling. You must be exhausted."

"What I want you to find me is a strawberry milkshake, extra thick."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. You know how cravings work don't you? And nausea comes with the hunger, Grey. Go."

Meredith turned and left. She knew what she meant. She left for the cafeteria and found Derek.

"Hey what are you doing?" He asks.

"Craving duty." She says smiling.

"What?"

"Bailey sent me to get her milkshake."

"Oh okay."

"Are you on a case?"

"Just about to go into surgery."

"I'm in the pit. So I am back and forth." She says smiling.

She ordered and sat down beside him.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah I am. Just I can't believe it is Christmas in 3 days and Kathleen is hiding something from us all. I can tell the way she is acting. It's just been a huge year and I it's been crazy that's all."

"I know how you feel. It's just I love spending it with the kids. I love it so much watching their joy. I just can't get into the mood of it." She says.

"Dr Grey."

"I better be going. You know how cravings are."

"Yes I do. Very well."

She kisses his cheek and collected the milkshake heading back towards the OR.

"Izzie he failed his boards. This is important." George yells after Izzie.

"He cheated on me." She stresses.

"Busted?"

"Yeah, I'm busted."

"His board is tomorrow Iz." She says to her.

"You're in on this too? He cheated on me. God." She yells again.

"Told you she'd find out." Cristina says carrying a tree.

"Of course you're in on this too."

"She let him touch her boobs." George says.

Cristina then hits George with the tree.

"He cheated on me with George's skanky syph nurse."

"That is just plain rude."

"We know he cheated on you." Meredith yells. "That's why George let you turn your living room into Santa's freaking village."

"What?"

"His not big on holidays. You know that. We are being supportive because you're having a hard time. But right now, Alex he's having a harder time."

"Why does everybody care what kind of time Alex is having?"

"Because he's dirty Uncle Sal."

"Sorry." George and Cristina asks.

"You lost me."

"Uncle Sal, who embarrasses everyone at family reunions and can't be left alone with teenage girls but you invite him to the picnic anyway." She says.

"What?"

"Still lost."

"I have a mother who is dead. A father who abandoned me. I have siblings and a step dad. A husband and kids. When they are not around you are as far as family gets. You have been there since we were kids. I don't want that to change. I know you're pissed at Alex, but maybe you could try and help him anyway. Like in the spirit of this holiday you keep shoving down everybody's throats. Your worst then Kaylee and she a five year old, Izzie and she get's excited." She says turning around leaving.

"It's about time." Bailey says to her.

"Sorry I got side-tracked."

"Nadia Shelton's ulcer perforated." George says opening the door. "She's vomiting blood by the pint."

"Is the Chief back?" She asks.

"Haven't seen him." Meredith says.

"No."

"All right, both of you scrub in. I'm going to need all the help I can get." She says as she starts sculling her milkshake.

Scrubbed in again they were looking at her ulcers. Dr Bailey had once again stopped for a drink and they were exploring the cavity.

"Whoa, look at that."

"Kissing ulcers. One's perfed, the other one's bleeding."

"Two ulcers. I'm not surprised, with that family. I should have thrown them out. Why didn't I? That's what I should have done."

"Stop whining O'Malley. You had your chance, you didn't take it. Move on." Bailey says to him.

"Right. Sorry."

"Do not kick me."

"Excuse me?" George asks.

"Are you kicking me under the table?"

"No."

"Then clearly, I wasn't talking to you." She sighs and drops her instruments. "You cannot kick me while I am doing my job." She says touching her stomach.

Meredith and George just look at her. They were shocked to see her like that.

"Thank you." She says moving back to the table.

…

After surgery she went and changed and left the floor to go meet Derek. She walked past Dr Bailey asleep on a gurney. She must have been exhausted. 3 surgeries in a row.

She walked out to the lobby and kept walking.

"Mummy." She hears.

She stops in her tracks. This was what she loved hearing. She turned around and saw both Kaylee and Cooper run her way and wrap their arms around her legs. She bent down and kissed the tops of their heads.

"How are you two?"

"Good mummy. I am hungry."

"Me too. Let's head home hey?"

Kaylee nods her head. She grabs a hold of Cooper's and Kaylee's hand. Derek catches up to them. He stood to watch the kids greet their mother. He kisses her cheek and grabs a hold of Cooper's hand and they walk to the door. The rain was starting to pour. He picks up Cooper and Meredith picks up Kaylee and they rush to the car.

Arriving home Derek goes to put dinner on. Meredith tidies up and sets the table.

"How are you feeling now?" She asks him.

"I realised that Christmas makes you want to be with the people you love. I love you and the kids. I want to be with the three of you all day Christmas day. It's the season of love I think.

"I love you a lot. I think it is the season of love as well." She says leaning in to kiss him. "I'm going to check on the kids."

"Okay. Dinner shouldn't be too long."

She left the kitchen and went to the lounge room. She found two pairs of legs coming out from under the Christmas tree.

"Kaylee what are you doing?"

"Lights." She says.

Meredith bends down and lies down beside Cooper. He was lying beside his sister and was snuggled into her sucking his thumb.

"They are pretty aren't they?" Meredith says. "You know what Kaylee you always used to sit and watch the lights ever since you were a baby. You would sit in your bouncer and watch the flickering lights. Ever since then you would always come and lie down and watch them flicker and change."

"It's so pretty I don't know how you can't."

Meredith had lost track of time by just watching the lights. She heard footsteps and felt Derek lay down beside her.

"What are we doing?"

"Lights." Kaylee says.

They lay there and watch the lights. Derek soon forgot about time and dinner. He lay closed to Meredith and had a hand over her stomach.

Half an hour had passed.

"I forgot about dinner. I dished it up but forgot about it." He says.

"We can just reheat it." Meredith says.

"Let's order pizza instead." He says getting up.

She lay there still with the kids and Derek ordered pizza. Peanut and Sparrow had found a place with them. Peanut beside Kaylee and Sparrow on Meredith's stomach.

The pizza was delivered and they all sat up and ate dinner.

"Mummy can you read the journal to us. I like hearing about you as a baby."

"Sure sweetie." She walked to her handbag and pulled it out before sitting back down. "September 23rd, 1993. My baby girl is almost a year old. I didn't have time to plan a party for you. Work has been chaotic. I am now an attending and halfway through my fellowship. I am halfway through becoming a general surgeon with Richard. We are discovering so much about each other. He listens to me a lot more than your father does. It annoys me that he doesn't get me. Anyway baby girl I promise you a big party for your 2nd birthday. Much love sweetheart."

"I can't believe she didn't give you a 1st birthday party Mummy."

"Hey it's okay sweetie. I don't think my mother knew anyone with kids around the same age as me."

"What about me. We were friends. I shared my toys with you."

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah I do. It's a pity really."

"Most of my childhood had been a letdown. I am used to it."

"Read the next one."

"30th of September, 1993. It is close to midnight. I just got home. You were sound asleep in your cot. Your father snoring like a trucker. I went to the bathroom to write this. You will be 1 in just a few short minutes. I have had so many emotions from the past 12 months. The moment you were born it was amazing. You can never really describe how a person enters the world. There are so many mixed emotions involved. I have felt like crying some nights from being overwhelmed. I have felt love and joy. Happiness and then sadness. You have brought all these emotions to me but I have experienced another part of life. Let's see what the next 12 months bring. I have enjoyed this past year."

"Mummy how did you feel the first 12 months of my life." Kaylee asks.

"Let me see. Love from the second you were born. I knew that I could do it as soon as I held you in my arms. I felt joy every day and happiness. I have felt so many emotions that it is crazy. You can't explain it unless you go through it."

"Just like Nanna said."

"Yeah she is right." She says smiling. "I did get overwhelmed sometimes but you get past that feeling and it soon brings happiness."

"Mummy will I get these feelings when I become a mother?"

"Yes you will."

"What about you daddy. How did you feel?"

"The same as your mother. I felt so proud every day. I had this baby that was half of me and I got to show it off to the world. I got to proudly walk around and say this is my baby girl. I love her. She will always be mine. I boasted about you to everyone. I shared stories of how you were growing up and how you would do something so small but I would make a big deal out of it. Like rolling over for the first time or when your first tooth came through. I would make it sound like we won the lottery. I still do." He says with a smile.

"I think it's kind of cool that she wrote those feelings down. I just don't understand how she went from that to what she had become. She hated her husband and then she got Richard but she was still so mean to me. I always thought it was because of me not having Richard as a father but I don't know. I'm hoping she wrote about it in the journals."

"She wrote 18 of them. One for each year. She wrote them until she got sick. So I think somewhere she would have written down why."

Meredith just smiles at him.

"I'm glad I have you here to reassure me."

"Me too."

He checked his watch and the turned to the kids.

"Bath time and then it will be bedtime."

"Oh but I like hearing about my grandma. I don't remember her so I want to know what she was like."

"Well you will. I will make it a habit to read an entry to you a night."

"Okay." She says with her eyes lighting up.

Meredith gave Derek a hand in bathing both kids. She dressed Cooper and then went and made his bottle.

"Ready say goodnight to daddy." She says to him.

"Nigh, nigh Dada." He says.

"Where's my kiss?" Cooper leans towards Derek and Derek kisses him goodnight. "See you in the morning."

"And say goodnight to your sister."

"Nigh Kay."

"Night Coopie." She says standing up to kiss him goodnight.

Meredith carries him down to the nursery and sits down with him in the rocker and reads him a bedtime story. His eyes drifted shut and she put him to bed.

Derek walked into the nursery and kissed Cooper's head. He then took Meredith's hand and carried her to the bedroom.

"It's storming again." She says.

"I know. I am hoping Kaylee can sleep through it."

"If not it will be lullaby time."

They see the door open and Kaylee standing there with her teddy in her arms.

"Is the storm scary sweetie?" Derek asks her.

She nods her head and runs towards her mummy and daddy.

"Okay how about we sing the lullaby song?" She suggests.

Kaylee once again nods her head. They lay down beside her and hold her. The lights were off and they had her close by.

"I love it when it rains  
As I lie in bed at night  
I listen to it patter  
On the roof soft and light  
But then a storm may come  
And the thunder starts to crash  
The rain beats on the window  
And I see the lightning flash

I hold old teddy tight  
And sink down in my bed  
I close my eyes so tight  
And pull the covers over my head  
I feel so snug and warm  
I know that everything's all right  
I love it when it rains  
As I lie in bed at night." Derek and Meredith sing to her.

She was fast asleep and clutching her teddy.

"Gets her every time." Meredith says.

"Well it's her mummy's singing voice."

"Hardly." She says with a smirk. "We have sang Kaylee's lullaby in a while."

"I know. I think she has outgrown it."

"You can never outgrow that song."

"That is true."

**Read and review**


	78. Moving For Love

"Merry Christmas." Derek says handing her a present after the kids had opened their gifts.

"Thank you." She says placing a kiss on his lips.

She opened the box and inside saw surgical instruments from the Civil War.

"Oh my god. Where did you get these from?"

"EBay."

"These must have cost a fortune."

"Yes but it was all for you." He says pressing a kiss to her lips.

"I don't know what to say." She says.

"You don't have to say anything. Just enjoy your gift."

"Well these are going to be placed up high so little Coopie doesn't get his hands on them."

"That is a good idea." He says.

"Here is your gift." She says handing him a present.

He opened the present and saw a set of scrub caps. 6 of them to be precise.

"I know you don't get to wear them for a few years yet but I saw the catalogue in Richard's office and I saw all these scrub caps. I think it can be a goal for you. To become a Neurosurgeon."

"I think it's a nice goal." He says flicking through the set.

A ferry boat scrub cap was among the pile. He also found a blue scrub cap, his favourite colour with the Best daddy in the world with Kaylee Sofia 1st of October 2010 and Cooper Isaac 30th of June 2014 stitched on the cap.

"That one was kind of silly. I just had a thought at the time…"

"This one is beautiful." He interrupts her.

"Yeah I had their names stitched because it is more like a reminder of who you have waiting for you at home and I assume another baby will be in the household by the time you become an attending so we can get that baby's name stitched on there as well. Maybe something to keep in your cubby."

"I will keep it in my cubby and look at it every day." He says smiling. "Thank you."

"No worries."

"Daddy what's that?" Kaylee asks sitting herself beside him.

"These are scrub caps. I get to wear my own when I become an attending."

"It has mine and Coopie's name and birthday on it."

"Yeah this will go in my cubby and remind me of who I have waiting for me at home."

"That was a good idea mummy." She says smiling.

"It was wasn't it." Meredith says smiling back.

"Mumma." Cooper says.

"What's wrong Coopie?"

He points to his packaged toy.

"Do you want a hand?"

"Ya pease."

They spent the morning tidying up the house and assembling presents for Kaylee and Cooper. The two of them were busy playing with their new toys so Derek and Meredith snuck upstairs to their bedroom.

"I really want to reward you for your gift." He says wrapping his arms around her waist. "I really want to reward you." He says kissing under her collarbone.

"Well you can reward me in under 10 minutes."

"A quickie?"

"A quickie makes me happy." She says giggling.

"Merry Christmas." Carolyn says at front door.

"Merry Christmas Ma." Derek says kissing her cheek.

Kaylee and Cooper had ran off with their new toys to see their cousins and compare gifts.

"Merry Christmas." Derek greets entering the lounge room. His sisters and brothers in laws were all talking.

"Merry Christmas." They all cheered back.

"Where is Alice?" He asks.

"She is with Brad. She will be by for lunch."

"Okay." He says with a smile.

Meredith knew that he loved being with his family the most. Even if they were annoying and girly. Family was what made him happy.

"Are you on call at all?" Nancy asks.

"No we aren't. Doesn't mean we can't be paged in."

"Well I was going to offer you a drink."

"It's a little early don't you think Nanc?" Meredith says.

"It's never too early." She says pouring out a drink of wine.

"Nanc he needs his nappy changed." Amelia says walking in with Zach.

"Give him to me." Meredith says holding her arms out for her baby nephew.

"He needs his nappy changed though." Nancy says.

"Oh I don't mind. I'm still changing Cooper's nappies. Where is his stuff?"

"Just by the lounge."

"Come on Zach come and spend some time with Aunty Meredith." She coos to him.

Derek follows her as they head upstairs to the make shift nursery.

"God you have gotten big haven't you Zach. You're big chubby legs and your big baby belly."

"He has grown so much."

"He is 6 months old already. Cooper was about this age last year. I think babies should stay babies a little longer."

"Yes they really should." He says smiling down at Zach.

They change him nappy and then go down to Derek's old room and lay down on the bed with Zach. They loved family time but they loved spending individual time with their nieces and nephews. Zach lay on his stomach on Derek's chest.

"What are you thinking about?" He asks her.

"I honestly don't know. I have a million thoughts spinning around my mind at this moment; I can't place what I am thinking."

"Yeah it really gets like that sometimes."

"Do you think Kay and Coopie enjoyed their presents?"

"If you can't tell by their huge smiles plastered on their faces, they really did." He says to her.

"Good." She says turning to her side.

Derek rolled over onto his side and kissed her nose. Zach watched Derek kiss Meredith's nose and he moved towards his aunty and started sucking her nose. Causing Meredith and Derek to laugh.

"Zach what are you doing?" She asks giggling.

He sucks her nose some more.

"You are very much like Coopie." Derek says.

There was a knock at the door and Nancy walked in sitting down on the bed.

"There is my boy. I thought you ran off with him."

"No we didn't. Spending some quality time with him." Derek says.

"And let him suck my nose."

"Yeah he does that. It's weird. It does it if your face is close to his. It's just like how some kids bite toes and nipples this one sucks noses?"

"Toes and nipples?" Meredith asks.

"Maddie was a bitter when I fed her. Very painful."

"Oh I get where you're coming from."

"Now I was going to take him to get some food into him."

"Yeah sure." Derek says.

Nancy leaves the two of them and they just stare at each other.

"They will get suspicious." She whispers.

"Oh well, let them." He says smiling. "Do you think that this time next year we will start trying?"

"Maybe. I think we are going to have to see what work is like."

"Yeah I know. It's just we are 24 next year. The next year we will be 25. I just want to be a daddy again."

"I know you do. We are just going to have to let fate do its work."

There was a knock at the door. "Derek can you come and cut the meat please."

"Yeah I'll be down in a minute."

He kisses her one last time before they both get up and go downstairs. Alice was soon here with her boyfriend Brad. The laughter from the kids mixed in with the noises of joy.

Lunch was served and the kids went off to their table to eat and the adults sat at the table and ate lunch. Bon-bons were cracked and the corny jokes said across the table.

"We have an announcement." Kathleen says.

"You're pregnant?" Nancy asks.

"No I am not." She says. "We are moving to New York."

The sound of the fork dropping came from the silence. Kathleen and John gave them all a minute to process it. Derek just stiffened in his seat. He said this would happen but I think the shock of them announcing it made it worse.

"When?"

"In the New Year. We are leaving on the 2nd of January. We have a house already picked out and we are waiting for the paperwork to go through."

"Why?"

"We both were offered jobs. I was offered a job at a private practice and John was offered a job at a new firm. We start our jobs on the 20th of January."

"That seems so fast."

"It seems like it is but it isn't. We are in town for a week and then we are gone."

"Do you really have to go?" Amelia asks.

"We don't have any young babies and the kids are older so it will be an easy move. It's the best time to go now then if we wait another year. You can never know what can happen in a year."

"Okay I also have a confession to make." Nancy says. "I was offered a job in New York as well but I knocked it back for a year. I said not yet while I have a 6 month old baby. I need to wait another year. I am transferring for my fellowships in a couple of years."

"My two girls are leaving Seattle." Carolyn says.

"No actually make that 3." Alice says.

"What?" Carolyn says.

"Me and Brad are moving to New York as well."

"Why Alice. You are at med school here." Derek says.

"NYU have a better program. I know, I know Nancy, Kath, Meredith and you went there but Brad's father is sick and he wants to be with him. I love Brad and I can't imagine my life without him." She says smiling. "You moved here for love mum so it's what I'm doing. Moving for love."

"Okay dear. I'm glad you are following your heart. I hope you become just like me and your father. Have a beautiful house. Some beautiful kids. Married. I want you to be happy." She says. "I want all of you to be happy."

"Ma I think we already are." Derek says. "Are you happy?"

"Yes I am. I know it's the 5th Christmas without your father but in 5 years I got 9 grandkids. Beautiful grandkids. I got a daughter in law and 2 sons in law. I have a beautiful life."

"Ma would you be happier in New York with Gwen and all your other family?" Nancy asks.

"Why do you think I would be. My family is here."

"Well your brothers and sisters are in New York. Your mother is still in New York. Your cousins. Your nieces and nephews. Your other family is there." Kathleen says.

"And us kids are here and your grandkids but Kathleen and Alice are going to New York. 3 of your grandkids are going. Nancy is going to New York in a few years. That will be another 4 grandkids gone. Amelia is going into year 11. She is finished school in 2 years. She will be going to med school or whatever and she most likely won't be here. It will only be me and Mer. Mum you have to follow your heart as well." Derek says.

"Yes you can't tell us to follow our hearts and you don't follow yours." Alice says.

"I do want to go back home. Its home but so is here. I just can't pack up and leave."

"Ma you have to follow your heart as well. I know it is hard being here since dad isn't." Kathleen says. "Come to New York and live with John and I."

"But Amelia hasn't finished school yet. I want to wait."

"Well Ma tell us if you want to go because we will be okay with whatever decision you make."

"Thanks kids. You are so good. I love you all. You have made me proud. I couldn't ask for better kids and for a better daughter in law and sons in law."

"Ma you are the best woman in the world. You truly are." Derek says.

"It's true." Meredith says. "Yeah I'm glad you had me for 10 years. You needed a good mother figure in your life."

"I know I did."

"Mummy we are finished." All came at once.

"Okay go and play." Nancy tells them.

They watch the kids run off and Carolyn is the next to speak.

"I will miss seeing Braden, Claire and Lacey grow up." She says.

"You can visit anytime Ma."

"If I do leave in a couple of years I will miss Cooper and Kaylee grow up." She says.

"Ma you have seen Kaylee for 5 years grow up. She will stay the same and Coopie is the same. It doesn't matter. You can visit."

"Okay well enough of this talk let's get presents happening." She says changing the subject and leaving the room.

"It was worth a try." Derek says.

"Present time for you little rascals." Tom says leaving the room.

All the kids were seated near the Christmas Tree.

"Who's going to be Santa?" Braden asks.

"Brad is." Carolyn says patting his back smiling and handing him the Santa hat. "Welcome to the family."

"Okay who do we have first, Baby Zach." He says smiling and handing it to Nancy to open for Zach. "Now Cooper. Lacey. Maddie. Claire. Caitlin. Conner. Kaylee and Braden. These are all from Nanna."

The room was littered with Christmas paper and the sounds the kids made when they saw their presents.

"Coopie. Smile for mummy." Meredith says taking a photo of Cooper. "What do you have there?"

He holds it up for her. "Tom da tank."

"Of course." She says ruffling his hair.

Presents went to all the kids and then to the adults. They saved Carolyn's for last.

"Now Ma, our conversation at the table had something to do with this next gift. We decided to get you plane tickets to New York and you stay as long as you want to visit your other family." Kathleen says.

"And Derek and I will be watching Amy."

"We want you to visit them because it has been a while since you have been home."

"When does my plane fly out?"

"The 2nd of January." Nancy says.

She smiles at her gift and then at her kids.

"Thank you. I really wanted to see my mother again."

"We know. It's a good chance to do that."

"You kids just amaze me every day. Whether it be becoming doctors, getting pregnant at inappropriate times." She says smiling at Meredith and Derek. "Or just being parents when times are tough. It is a different era and things are done differently to when I was raising you all. You got married when you found out you were pregnant even if you weren't in love and you raised happy families being married. Meredith you and Derek raised Kaylee together as single parents. You both are so strong for doing that. You were judged back when you were kids to do that but now it's more common. You all are strong kids. If I could go back and live through your times I would."

"Ma I think you are a great parent no matter what time you raised us."

"And you can experience being a grandma this time round not a parent."

She hugged everyone and then went and sat down with the kids and had some time with them all.

"She is happy." Derek says.

"Really happy." Nancy says.

"I can't believe she used the two of you as an example." Kathleen says laughing.

"Shut up. Yeah we have sex at inappropriate times. Who cares. We are young and carefree." Meredith says.

"We are making up for the times we missed when we weren't together."

"Okay that is too much information."

"Come on let's get desert ready."

The sat around the place watching the kids play with cars and baby dolls and trains and ate dessert. Meredith took out her mother's journal and her and Derek read a chapter together.

"_November 21__st__ 1993, you are now 13 months and 21 days. I came home late tonight and you were awake when I checked on you. I carried you down to the kitchen to get you a bottle and I set you on the ground while I made your bottle. I moved around the kitchen and you followed me. Every step. I was so proud of my baby girl. You were walking. I picked up you in the air and spun around. It made my day after such a shitty day. I read to you and put you to bed. I sat on the floor beside your crib and watched you sleep. I couldn't sleep so the next best thing was to be by my baby girl."_

"She was a proud mum that day." He whispers in her ear.

"Yeah she really was."

"Let's keep reading. Cause everyone is too busy in their food."

They got through 10 entries and were up to Meredith's second Christmas.

"_25__th__ of December. Your 2__nd__ Christmas and I didn't spend it with you. I went off to work the night before and finish for another 24 hours. When I came home your presents were still wrapped up along with mine and your fathers. I felt terrible. I woke you from your sleep and your father. He yelled at me for waking you up but I told him to shut his mouth because he didn't spend 9 months carrying me around and had to put my vagina through trauma. He shut up and we opened our presents and ate custard. You stayed in my arms the whole time and didn't let me go until you feel asleep. I had to sing to you but I sang a Christmas song. It felt right and it slipped through my lips as like it was a natural thing to do. I felt terrible baby girl. I will do better next year. I promise. I do love you it's just work can get in the way. I don't want you to ever become a doctor."_

"And you did become one."

"Yeah I did. I think it's the best decision and also getting drunk and having our kids."

He just laughs and kisses her. "Do you want to go get drunk now?" He asks with a smirk.

"I'll take a rein check." She says smiling back at him.

"Okay suit yourself. We can do the non-drunk thing tonight and use the thing."

"I like the idea of that." She kisses him once again. "We better head to Richard's. We have to go home as well."

"Yeah that is a good idea."

They packed up the kids and said goodbye to everyone. The quick drive got them home and unpacked and then packed again. Christmas with the Shepherd's was over and now it was time for Christmas at the Webber's.

**Read and review. Part 2 will be up in a few days. **


	79. We Were Stupid To Realise It

"Merry Christmas." Richard greets from the front door all full of Christmas spirit. "Cooper my big boy. Merry Christmas." He says picking him up. "Come on in."

The house was quieter compared to Carolyn's but due to the fact that there was Richard, Jackson, Charlie and Jasmine.

"Hey guys. Merry Christmas." Meredith says kissing her younger siblings and Jasmine.

"Hey Kay. What'd you get for Christmas?" Jackson asks her as Jasmine pulls her up onto her lap.

"Well I got stuff for my baby born. I got a leap pad explorer and games on there like Dora and princesses."

"Is that all?" Jasmine asks.

"No I got lots of other stuff."

"What'd you bring over to play with?" Jasmine asks.

"My leap pad and my baby born and my new Barbie dolls."

"What do you want to play with first?" Charlie asks her.

"Can we play babies?"

"Sure. Let's go to my room."

Charlie and Kaylee disappear.

"You can go if you want Jas. Relieve your childhood." Jackson says with a smirk.

"Hey she is practically my niece. I am allowed to play babies with my niece."

"Well go on then."

Jasmine left the room and Jackson stood up and joined Derek and Meredith.

"Hey I'm going to go lie him down. He is exhausted." Meredith says.

"Yeah just use the spare room." Richard says. "The cot is up there."

Meredith left with Cooper in her arms and a bottle.

"Derek can I talk to you in private please?" Jackson asks.

"Yeah sure."

Meredith went and sat in the rocker upstairs trying to get him to sleep. He was reclined in her arms but he wouldn't shut his eyes.

"Come on Coopie. You need a sleep. Do it for mummy please." She says rocking him back and forth. _"How's my luck. But somehow. I'm with you. Let's leave now. Let's leave them and their point of views. My favourite place is me and you."_

"What's up?" Derek asks Jackson.

"I need some tips."

"On what?"

"How to propose."

"_I wake up in the darkest night." _

"On proposing? What are you serious?"

"Well I'm not actually proposing proposing. I am making a proposition and a promise."

"_Watch you breathe in Shadow light." She sings to him._

"To do what?"

"_A perfect world lies next to me." _

"To be with her no matter what. She is the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. Marry. Have kids. Build a house. Grow old with. She is the one I love. I want to make a promise that when we are old enough to marry we will and I will buy her a ring and we will get married and start a life."

"_And I don't need to sleep to dream."_

Derek just smiles at him.

"Now I need some tips on what I should say. You've proposed before."

"_Morning sun warms our skin." _

"I didn't propose to Meredith. I did to Addison."

"That's what I mean."

"_Distant sounds. The day begins."_

"With Addison I planned on what I was going to say. I planned on everything. With your sister I proposed to her on a freeway after the car accident on my wedding day. I was not planning on doing that that day but I did. I spoke from the heart and when I saw her everything just came out and it was right. You don't need to plan on what you are saying because if you speak from the heart the right thing will come from there. Jasmine loves you no matter what. Whatever you say she will love."

"Well what did you say to Mer?"

"_Soon their worlds will come calling for us."_

"She spoke first about how we first met and how she always dreamt of meeting and marrying a man like and she did. She then told me how she did and every time she was with me her heart skipped a beat and that she felt like a teenager in love for the first time. She wanted to start dating again but we had known each other for like 7 years and we had Kaylee and she was pregnant again. It was the right time."

"_But this is space they cannot touch."_

"What did you say?"

"I told her that everything she said summed up what we had for each other. I said that we have been through everything that you could go through as friends, best friends, lovers and parents. I said that she was my soul mate, my best friend the love of my life and if she wasn't around then I don't think I would feel like I do. I apologised for hurting her with Addison. I knew that she was forgiving and she had forgiven me for every stupid thing I did to her. I said that I loved her and I have since we ran into each other in the corridor at school. My love can't be changed and my heart has always fallen for her and every time I see her I feel like I am falling in love over and over again. I wanted us to be a family and I proposed to her."

Jackson just smiles at him.

"Tell her the truth and she will love it. Trust me."

"_I just hope I am good enough to keep you." _

"I will." He says. "You are the best brother."

"Hey I am always here for you remember that."

"I will Derek. Thank you."

"No worries. No let's get inside and do something."

"I got a new game on the Xbox. Do you want to play?"

"Sure."

"I love you Coopie." She whispers to him in the cot and leaves the room. "Sweet dreams little one."

She headed down the hallway and saw the girls laughing in Charlie's room. She stood at the doorway and watched a 17 year old, an 11 year old and a 5 year old play with baby dolls. She had to smile at the girls all playing. Jasmine had become a niece to Kaylee and she had known Kaylee since she was nearly 2 months old. Kaylee thought it was her aunty.

"Hey girls. What you up to?"

"Playing babies mummy."

"Yeah who is who?"

"We are all mummies to the babies. Charlie is the baby doctor though. And one of the babies are sick but the test results were mixed up so we don't know who." Kaylee says.

"Where did you get that idea from Miss Kaylee?"

"I saw it on TV when I was at Nana's."

"No more TV for you missy."

Kaylee just smiled.

"So who is the possible sick baby?"

"My baby girl Rain." Jasmine says.

"You didn't call your baby that did you?"

"Yeah." She says. "It's a make believe game. I'm not going to call my real baby that."

"Good because that would be one baby I skip presents for on Christmas."

"You can't be serious."

"I'm kidding." She says smiling. "You get back to your playing. Can you listen out for Cooper as well?"

"Sure Mer."

"Thanks."

She headed downstairs and helped Richard with dinner.

"Are you on call?"

"No. I specifically asked for Christmas off this year. I don't want to miss it."

"Yeah well Derek and I aren't on call but we could be called into the hospital."

"Yes because you always get drunken idiots in on Christmas and people who smash their heads through windscreens."

"Please not tonight. I want to spend Christmas with my family."

"You will." He says. "What did you get for Christmas?"

"Derek bought me a scalpel set from the Civil war. He got it off EBay."

"God that sounds like something you a have wanted since you used to suture your own fingers."

"They are beautiful. They are going to hid up high though because Coopie gets into all sorts of stuff."

"He's a toddler, they always do." Richard says laughing. "What did you get Derek?"

"Personalised scrub caps. I stole the magazine from your office to have a look at them. They are like a goal we are going to work towards. I got him 6 of them. Like a ferry boat scrub cap. I got with; best daddy on it and I have Kaylee Sofia – 1st of October 2010 and Cooper Isaac – 30th of June 2014. It is something we will add to if we have more kids. He is going to keep it in his locker though. It's a reminder of who he has waiting at home for him."

"That's a really thoughtful gift. You too really did think about it didn't you?"

"Yeah we did. They are like goals more than gifts."

"Well they are still a gift from the heart. You want one another to succeed and you have gifts that can get you there."

"That was our plan."

…

"Yeah so Kathleen and John and leaving in a week. It's so weird." Derek says. "And Nancy is planning on leaving in a few years and Alice is moving with her boyfriend. We will have no one in town."

"Oh well Derek you may always visit them." Richard says.

"Can I make an announcement?" Jackson says. Derek looks straight at him and nods his head.

He gets up from his chair and kneels beside Jasmine. Meredith gasps along with Jasmine.

"Jasmine I have known you for about 12 years. We have been together for 5 years. I still remember that talent quest when I won and you came up and kissed me. I changed that night. All I could think about was you and how nice and beautiful you were. Before too long we were going out and have been for 5 years. That is a record in some people's eyes especially for a primary school love. You have become a part of this family and everyone loves you. But how could they not. You have beautiful blue eyes. Gorgeous blonde hair. A smile that can stop the world. You love life and you have an attitude to treat people with the same decency. I love that about you." He says. "I am not proposing. I am making a proposition to promise to love you for the rest of our lives. To promise that I will be there no matter what. To promise that one day when I can afford a beautiful ring I will get you the most expensive one there and we will marry each other where ever you want to get married. I love you Jasmine Sarah Summers and I want you to accept my promise because I will hold that promise every single day of my life from now on."

Jasmine looks at him and she starts smiling and kisses his lips and hugs him.

"You are a dork but I love you." She says. "Yes I will accept your promise."

Everyone claps and smiles.

"Oh and for a goal I have gotten you and empty box. Your ring will go in there one day."

She kisses him one last time and takes the box.

Meredith smiled at Derek and he smiled back.

"Does that mean you are getting married?" Kaylee asks.

"Yes and no. We are only 17 Kay. We are going to wait a few years. When I can get Jasie and beautiful ring then we will get engaged and get married."

"Can I be flower girl?"

"Of course you can." Jasmine says smiling at her and kissing her cheek.

Meredith's pager sounds and she looks down at it.

"Damn. I have to go. 911." She tells everyone. "I will be back as soon as I can."

She stands up and kisses Cooper and Kaylee.

"Congratulations you too." She says kissing both their cheeks.

"Thanks for dinner." She says kissing Richard's cheek.

"I will call you soon when I know what's going on." She says kissing Derek.

"Mummy we haven't opened our presents yet." Kaylee says with tears falling

"Open them without me. Daddy will take pictures for me."

Her smile disappeared from her face. She didn't have time for this but she had to do this. She went back to Kaylee and knelt beside her.

"Hey sweetie I'm sorry I was paged. I didn't plan on that happening but just think this could be a little girl your age that needs my help. It's Christmas day so it would be nice if she got to go home and play with her presents that Santa got her. You open your presents and I will ring you as soon as I can and ask you what you got."

She nodded her head. Meredith wiped away the tears and kissed her forehead.

"I'll be back before you know it." She says. "I promise."

"Okay mummy."

"Kay come here to daddy."

Meredith leaves and gets over to the hospital. She changes and then goes down to the ER.

"I was paged." She asks one of the nurses.

"Yes bed 3."

"Thank you." She says taking the chart and pulling the curtain away. "Billie Summers." She says before looking at her patient. "Billie what are you doing here?"

Billie was battered and bruised from head to toe. She was bleeding as well. Nina was standing beside her.

"Hi Meredith." She says.

"What happened?"

"Shall I start from the beginning?"

"Yes please."

"She was at my house with Boyd and Asher for dinner with me and my boyfriend. She went to get Asher's rocker downstairs at her car and we watched the kids."

"I got downstairs and someone I knew approached me asking to see Asher. His daughter." She says. "I tried paying him off with money but he got aggressive and before I knew it he started laying into me, he punched my face and hit me in the stomach. He came from behind and knocked me to the ground. I fell on my wrist and he started kicking me. He just beat me until I passed out from the pain and bleeding. He then left me without a trace."

"I sent Blake downstairs to check on her because it had been over half an hour. He saw her in a pool of her own blood and called me to get an ambulance here. I got downstairs as they got her on the gurney and into the ambulance. I went with Billie and Blake went with the kids and is in the waiting room."

"Okay Billie I am going to have to run a few tests. Get some scans. Can you tell me where it hurts the most?"

"My abdomen and my left arm."

"Okay I will check that out."

"Meredith I don't have any insurance for these pricey tests."

"Don't you worry about it? I have it under control."

She turns to leave but Billie grabs her arm.

"Thank you for coming here and leaving your kids."

"No worries Billie. We are practically family so it's the best I can do."

"Practically family?"

"I'll let Jasmine explain that to you later."

She took blood tests and took her vitals.

"_Meredith, what's up?" Richard asks._

"Um Billie is in here. As in Jasmine's sister. Don't tell Jasmine but she has been bashed and she doesn't have any insurance and I need to order a CT scan on her abdomen and her head and get X-rays. Is there any way we can do this pro-bono because she is family and she has nothing. She was bashed and left for dead."

"_Sure. Just make sure you leave the paperwork on my desk and I will sort it out tomorrow." He says. "How is she?"_

"She is bruised and battered from head to toe. Blood is all over her body. She is a mess."

"_Okay. I won't say anything to her."_

"Thank you. I will call back later." She says hanging up the phone.

She takes Billie for a CT and sees that she has a small bleed in her abdomen that will need to be watched. She had no brain bleed which was good. Her wrist was broken along with some ribs. She had bruises covering her body. Her eye was blackened and her cheek was swollen.

She stitched her up and cleaned the blood away from her. She put a cast on her wrist and had someone from general surgery on call just in case she started bleeding.

"Okay Billie I am going to settle you in a room and you will be in there for as long as your injuries heal. You may need a surgery for the bleed in your abdomen but are hoping that resolves itself. I have the police on their way to speak with you about everything and try and get the guy who beat you."

"Thank you for everything Meredith."

"No worries."

"Dr Grey." A nurse says.

"Yes."

"The police are here to speak with Miss Summers."

"Okay then. I will go and meet them."

She leaves Billie's room and heads greets them.

"Hi I'm Dr Grey."

"We have a bashing victim here?"

"Yes. I am treating her. Follow me."

She showed them to Billie's room. In her room Blake was there with the kids. Asher was in her mother's arms and Boyd on her other side.

"Can we have some privacy please?" They asks.

"No its fine. Leave them here please."

"Sure." The officer says. "Can you explain to me what happened?"

"Well I went down to my car to get a rocker for my daughter and a man that I knew from before came up and started asking to see my daughter. I tried paying him off with money but he wouldn't take it. He started beating me. He punched my face and then my stomach. I bent over in pain and I thought he left but I was then knocked to the ground and landed on my wrist and he just started kicking me." She says. "I blacked out and he left me in a pool of my own blood."

"You said he was here to see his daughter. Why did you refuse that?"

"I had my daughter last year. He didn't stick by me during my pregnancy." She explains. "I fell in with the wrong crowd and we all did drugs and illegal things. I was traded off for sex because I was the youngest. I lived on the streets since I was 14. I was kicked out from home because I was pregnant with Boyd. When I had Boyd child services took him away from me. I was devastated but I still did drugs. I fell pregnant again and lost the baby. I then had another baby and that was Asher here. Her father didn't stick by me. My boyfriend though didn't want a baby. I gave her up to my 17 year old sister because I couldn't do it. I have had a crappy life with all those people. I didn't want my daughters' father getting into her life because I want my kids to grow up and be amazing. To have a better life and not live on the streets. He would ruin their lives."

"Okay Billie. We understand. Can you describe him to us?"

"He is 22. Brown hair. Green eyes. He is about 180 cm and Caucasian. He has tattoos covering his body and a scar on his right cheek. He was wearing black pants and a blue hoodie. Oh his name is Greg Moran."

"Okay thank you Billie. That's all we need. Rest up. We will be in contact." They say leaving the room.

"It's okay Billie you are safe now." Meredith says. "Just rest up okay and if you are in pain hit the nurse's button. The nurses will be in every hour to check your bleed and I will be in tomorrow morning to check you."

"Thank you Meredith."

"No worries." She says. "Now I am going to head home. See you tomorrow morning."

She left the hospital and went to Richard's. It was after 11 when she got home.

"Hey." She says walking through the door.

"Hi dear. How is she?"

"She is good. A nurse is going to watch her bleed every hour."

"Good."

"Where's Derek?"

"Upstairs in the spare room. He went to put the kids down over an hour ago and didn't come back down. He fell asleep."

"Okay then. I'm going to go to bed. Night."

"Night Mer."

She headed upstairs to the spare room. Kaylee and Cooper were beside him and asleep. She climbed into bed with them.

"Your back?"

"Yeah I am."

"How is Billie?"

"She is good. A nurse is watching her every hour."

"Good."

"Did you open the presents?"

"Kaylee didn't want to without you."

"Of course she didn't." She says. "I can't believe Jackson proposed."

"I know. He asked me for advice because I have proposed before. I told him that Addie was planned to the smallest thing. Yours was on the freeway after the accident. I told him that I spoke from the heart with you and that I wanted to be with you and the kids."

"Well he did speak from the heart. It was a beautiful thing."

"I wish I thought of something like that for you and me."

"Derek we weren't at that place then. Well we were but we were stupid to realise it."

"Very stupid." He agrees. "I wish we knew it at that time."

"Yeah me too. Anyway we have each other now that is all that matters."

He leans in and kisses her. "I love you a lot."

"I love you too."

"Get some sleep we have a big day tomorrow."

**Let me know what you thought. An update will be up soon.**

**Next chapter will involve a false alarm. **


	80. I Kind Of Do Too

"Derek we have to go." Meredith says finding him in the hallway of the hospital.

"I know. Sorry my surgery ran long but I have to do post op."

"Get one of your temp interns to do it."

"Good idea." He says smiling. "I will meet you at home. I promise." He says kissing her.

"Okay. We can't miss Claire's birthday Derek. It's the last one in Seattle for her and she won't have another here again for a while and we won't be at another of her parties for a while."

"Mer I know. You go home and I will meet you there."

She turned around and headed to the locker room.

"Can I have some help in here?" She hears.

She stands still to contemplate helping. "Damn."

She walks into the room and sees the patient coding.

"I can't localise her cords." George says.

"How long has she been down?"

"4 minutes."

"Okay step aside." She says. "Okay get me a 7.0."

"Dr Grey she needs to get air in the next minute."

"I know George."

She intubates the patient and George starts the bag. She listens to her chest.

"Okay she is good for now."

"Thank you."

"No worries. I need to get going."

"Bye Mer."

"Bye George." She says leaving the room. She rushed down to the locker room and changes before getting the kids from the crèche and getting home. She gets the kids in the bath and bathes them quickly. They were going to be late no matter what. She got Kaylee to dress herself and then dressed Cooper. She got in the shower and started showering. Derek joined her in the shower and she got out. She dried herself down and Derek came out with a towel around him.

"We're late."

"I know. They will understand. You are an intern and I am a resident."

"Yeah hopefully."

"I thought you would have been home earlier?"

"I had to help George intubate a patient."

"Oh yeah well that usually takes time."

"What a great impression. We are the aunty and uncle to her and we turn up 40 minutes late."

"Don't worry Mer. We turned up to thanksgiving at Izzie's an hour late. She got over it."

"It's not the same thing." She says annoyed.

"Okay yes it isn't. Just stay calm down okay."

"Fine."

She leaves the bathroom pissed and goes into the bedroom.

Derek leaves her for a moment and follows her into the bedroom.

"What is the matter Meredith?"

"Nothing. I just had a shit day. That's all."

"What happened?"

"Nothing happened ok. It's none of your business."

"Meredith what the hell has gotten into you?"

"Nothing."

"God all I do is ask about your day and you yell at me. I just want to know why my wife is so pissed off."

"I said it's none of your business. It is my own problem and I am dealing with it okay not you." She bites back pissed. "We are late so hurry up and get dressed. We need to make an appearance."

Derek dressed fast to avoid pissing her off even more. They got the kids in the car and drove over to Kathleen's house.

"Sorry we're late. Surgeries ran long." Derek says.

"That's okay. Come on in." Kathleen says.

"Oh you are all finally here. We've been waiting for you to arrive." Nancy says.

"Nancy can you please cut it." Derek says.

"Okay fine. Geez don't get your knickers in a knot."

Meredith went and sat beside Nancy and Derek went to see his nieces and nephews.

"Hey kids." He says.

"Uncle Derek."

All the kids run towards him and hug him.

"Happy birthday Claire." He asks picking her up. "How old are you know. 21?"

"No I am 4 years old."

"Are you just?"

"Yes. I am."

"Well you are getting a big girl." He says putting her back down to the ground. "Too big for me to pick you up and carry around like I used to."

He leaves the kids and goes and sits on the back step and watches the kids run around.

"Hi Derek."

"Hi Ma."

"May I sit?"

"Sure."

She sits beside Derek and watches the kids as well.

"Is everything okay with you and Meredith?"

"Everything is perfect."

"Don't use that tone with me. What happened?"

"I don't know. She just got angry and started yelling at me because I asked what happened at work today. She bit my head off."

"Girls do that sometimes dear. They just get hormonal. You have to be considerate when they are like that because they can be emotion wrecks."

"Yeah but that is like when they are pregnant. Whenever Meredith menstruates she is never like this."

"Okay hormones are different for everyone and they come and go differently. You need to let her be a bitch because what the woman's body does is amazing. They carry babies Derek."

"I know. I know. It's just weird seeing her like this. She never is like this."

"Is work busy?"

"Yeah really busy."

"Okay she is just stressed. She has 2 kids as well. Christmas has come and gone. It's nearly the New Year. She is stressed."

"Yeah she is stressed."

"Anyway just let her be a bitch. I know how much you dislike it but let her be one."

"Okay."

She got up and left Derek and went inside.

"Meredith dear. Come with me outside to talk." Carolyn says.

Meredith got up from the chair and followed Carolyn out the front door to sit on the porch swing.

"What's up dear?"

"Nothing is."

"Meredith I have raised 4 girls. I know when they are pissed off. Tell me what is wrong?"

She sits for a moment. "Work is stressful this time of year. We are working over our 80 hour limit. We are run off our feet. It's just stressful and my hormones are just making it weird for me."

"That always happens dear. It's called the silly season for a reason you know."

"Yeah I do."

"I'm going to go and help Kath set up. Will you be right here?"

"Yeah I will be."

Carolyn left Meredith on the seat. Meredith did have another reason to be like this. She just wasn't ready to tell Derek about it just yet.

She received a message.

_Hey Mer. Have you told him yet? He should know what could be happening in 7 months' time. Cristina says._

I haven't told him yet because I am in a mood and he is in a mood as well. I bit his head off and we are at my niece's birthday party so it can wait until tonight. I will take a test tonight. She writes back.

She stays out the front in the cool air.

"Hey Mer. Cooper wanted to see his mum." Alice says walking out with Cooper.

"Thanks Ally." She says smiling at her.

"Are you okay Mer?" She asks sitting down beside her.

"Yeah I am just a little tired and stressed. That's all."

"Okay. I thought my brother might have done something to upset you?"

"No he hasn't. I did bite his head off earlier though. He is a little mad at me."

"What did he do?"

"He asked me how my day was and then I bite his head off. My hormones went crazy."

"Oh yeah I know that happens. I don't know how Derek put up with it most of the time."

"Yeah I don't either. He went from sisters hormones. To my hormones and then Kathleen's pregnant hormones and then my pregnant hormones. He hasn't had a break."

"Well he is good at that. He understands girls a lot better than some guys do."

"I know he does. He's a great husband."

"He's the best brother. I am going to miss him like crazy."

"Well make sure you come and visit us."

"I will. I'll come home for Christmas next year."

"Good." She says smiling at her.

"Anyway I was just dropping Cooper off for you. I'm going back inside."

Meredith wraps her arms around Cooper's belly and hold him close to her and she starts swinging.

"Mummy loves you remember that."

"Mumma." He says pointing.

"Yeah baby. I can see it." She says kissing his cheek.

"Mer the food is ready."

"Okay. We'll be right in."

She sat for a minute longer and then stood up with Cooper and they walked inside. The kids swarmed between the adults for food.

"What do you want Coopie?" She asks him.

"That."

"You want lollies?"

"You can't have lollies now." Derek says to him.

"How about some sausage?" She asks him.

He scrunches his nose and then smiles. "Ya pease."

"I've got it." Derek says.

Meredith holds him as Derek gets him some food.

"What would you like Mer?"

"I'm not hungry at the moment. I will come by later."

He nods his head at her and they go and sit outside. Cooper sits in-between them eating his food.

"Are we going to talk about this afternoon?" He asks.

"We will, when we get home. I have stuff to tell you so it's better for home."

"Okay." He says. "I'll be back."

Derek leaves and goes out to the car and comes back. He notices Meredith's phone on the swing and picks it up. He bumped the screen and saw the conversation that she had had with Cristina. He hated reading her personal conversations but this caught his eye.

_He should know what could be happening in 7 months' time. _

Now he was in the know at what was happening. He had a thought earlier but this time it confirmed that thought. Especially since she said she was taking a test tonight. He locked her phone and headed back to where she was.

"You left this out there." He says handing her the phone.

"I must have forgotten about it. Thanks."

The party was a slow one for both of them. They wanted to go home. Derek especially did to find out what was going on. Meredith to see if she was expecting and to tell Derek.

Cooper had started to get restless and tired.

"Derek I think we should go home. Cooper is over tired. He didn't sleep very well last night."

"Yeah come on. I'll get Kaylee."

"We're going Kathleen. Sorry, Cooper hasn't been sleeping well and I am so tired." She says to her.

"That's fine. I will see you on Saturday for the farewell party?"

"Of course you will. We'll be there earlier."

"Okay. Well night guys." She says kissing Cooper's cheek and then Meredith's.

Derek had Kaylee and they headed to the car and drove home.

"Mummy I'm going to go straight to bed because I am tired."

"Okay sweetie. Do you want a story?"

"No not tonight."

"Okay I love you."

"I love you to." She says kissing and hugging her mummy and daddy goodnight.

Derek got a bottle for Cooper made up and volunteered to get him to bed. Meredith kissed Cooper goodnight and went to the bathroom and peed on a stick. She knows that it was the worst time to pee on it now but she had a few more in the cupboard to do in the morning if she wasn't convinced.

She waited and while she waited she heard the nursery door close. She grabbed the test not looking and went and sat down beside Derek.

"Derek about this afternoon. I was the biggest bitch. I am hormonal and stressed. I also realised that I was late and I was a bitch because it was something that I felt like blaming you on but I realised that it was stupid to blame you on an accident that may occur. I was also pissed because I didn't want a baby just at this moment. I'm sorry for being a bitch to you."

"Hey it's perfectly okay. It happens. Its life." He says and then looks down at her hands. "Have you looked yet?"

"No not yet." She says. She takes a deep breath. "What happens if I am pregnant?"

"Then we take it one step at a time. We have already had 2 kids. We can do manage whatever is thrown our way." He says placing his hand on her cheek. "We have since we found out about Kaylee and we were 17 then. We can do whatever Meredith. You and me. We are kind of awesome that way."

She smiles at him and takes a deep breath. "Okay whatever happens, happens." She says taking the test from the sleeve. They read the negative sign and a feeling of relief washes over them.

"That's good." He says kissing her cheek. "You were most likely late because of the stress."

"Yeah I know. I suppose that's what happens around this time of year." She says smiling.

He kisses her lips and smiles. "I kind of wished that was positive."

"I kind of do to. I don't know why but I do."

"Well we just got to wait now for a while and we will do this again." He says. "Next time you do think you are pregnant can you make sure I am with you to see the results because the last two times I wasn't."

"Of course I can." She says kissing him. "I'm going to go and clean up."

"Mer."

"Yeah."

"Just remember I love when you have that bitch about you. You are very bossy." He says smirking.

She turns around and walks into the bathroom and comes back out jumping on him kissing him.

…

"We are ready for our night." Derek says to her the next day.

"Yes we are." She says. "Okay the kids just need to go to your mum's and we are going to this party."

They dropped the kids off and headed to the party at the lake.

"You made it." Cristina says.

"Yeah we did. I need some alcohol." Meredith says.

"Just follow me." Cristina says.

"Are you on call tonight Cristina?" Derek asks.

"Yeah but we won't be paged because there is nothing going to go wrong. It's going to be a quiet night at the ER."

"Cristina you just jinxed it." Meredith says.

"No I didn't. It will be a slow night."

"You better hope so." Meredith says and that's when everyone's pagers start going off.

"Good one."

All the doctors and nurses leave the party and drive to the hospital and dress into their scrubs and go down to the ER.

"We have traumas piling in. Take a patient and be as quick as you can assessing them." Dr Roach says.

"What happened?" Derek asks him.

"We have car crashes, boat crashes, intoxications, firework injuries."

Everyone just looks at him.

"Yes some stupid morons who were drunk were playing with live fireworks and didn't let them go." He says. "Now go to your resident."

"Bailey's interns you are to come with me." Dr Roach says. "You are all to take the ambulances. Yang you go with Dr Burke. Steven's trauma 1 with Dr Webber. O'Malley with Dr Nelson. Karev trauma 2. Grey you are with Shepherd."

Meredith finds Derek in the ambulance bay waiting.

"What do we have?" She asks.

"We have one of the firework boys."

"Great."

The ambulance rolls in and the doors open.

"Steve Bennet, 19. Playing with live fireworks. Didn't let the thing go and it blew. His hands are in pretty bad shape and there are digit amputations. He also hit a brick wall and knocked himself unconscious."

"Okay let's go."

Derek and Meredith assessed the teenager and got him up for a CT scan.

"Nelson is in surgery. Who will do the surgery if he has a brain bleed?" She asks.

"The other Neuro attending. Dr Green."

"Okay. Solo surgery could have been pretty impressive."

He just smiles at her.

"We will have to call plastics as well for his fingers."

"Okay."

The scan came up and they say that he had a brain bleed that needed to be evacuated.

"I'll go and page Dr Green and Dr Bell."

Dr Green had met them. "Okay I will take him to surgery now. You two go back down to the pit and help where you can. We have intoxications coming in and other traumas."

They turn around and leave.

"I wanted to watch a craniotomy tonight." He says.

"I know you did sweetie."

The pit was now chaotic. Patients were everywhere and doctors were everywhere.

"I wish we were at the lake right about now."

"Me to." He says.

"Both Dr Shepherd's if you aren't assigned to anything we need help from 1 to 10." Tyler says.

"We're on it." They both say at the same time.

"I will take beds 1 to 5." He says. "You take 6 to 10?"

"Sure."

"Dustin James." She says. "Hi I'm Dr Grey. What seems to be the problem?"

"I was at work and I slipped over and hit my head. I think I need stitches."

"Yeah you did hit it good. Do you feel nauseous at all?"

"No. I don't."

"That's good. I will just do some routine exams just to see if it's nothing more than some stitches."

"Thanks Dr Grey."

"Hi Lucy, I am Dr Shepherd." He says greeting the little girl. "What'd you do to yourself?"

"I was on the trampoline with my friends and we were mucking around and I fell off and landed on my leg badly and my collarbone."

"Well I will run an X-ray and we will find out what damage you have done to yourself." He explains to her. "I will be back. Sit tight."

Derek walked to the desk to order a set of x-rays. Meredith was leaning up against the desk.

"What do you have?" He asks.

"Stitches. Guy fell over and hit his head. I am just seeing if he has a concussion." She says. "What about you?"

"A 10 year old girl fell off the trampoline and fell on her leg and collarbone." He says.

"God I love the pit." She says. "Full of drunken idiots and people with 2 left feet."

"Well our first patients are fine the drunk idiots will probably start pilling in in a few hours. It's still early."

"I wanted to share a New Year's kiss with you overlooking the water tonight."

"Me too." He says. "We will have a New Year's kiss tonight. Just wait and see, it will be even more romantic then overlooking the water."

They treated patients as they came into the pit. They stitched them up, bandaged them up, put them on banana drips and all the other weird things. Sex injuries and injuries from intoxications were the most popular.

"Dr Grey can I see you for a moment?" He asks.

"I'll be back." She says smiling at the patient. Derek leads her away. "Where are we going?"

"It's nearly midnight." He says. "We are having our New Year's kiss."

He led her to the elevator and pressed the up button. The doors opened and he got in and she followed with the doors closing behind her. He hit the stop button and turned to her and checked his watch. He grabbed her hands and held them.

"10, 9, 8, 7."

"We're having our kiss in an elevator?"

"5,4,3,2,1." He countdown. "Happy New Year."

Meredith smiles at him and leans in. They share a kiss to celebrate their New Year.

"Happy New Year." She says.

**Let me know you thoughts. Updates will be regular from now on because of the many chapters I have banked up. So keep your eye out for the regular updates.**

**Next chapter will be the farewell party. **

**Also I thought I would let you guys know that I have just finished writing chapter 128 and let me say an exciting thing happens in this chapter. Sorry to tease you guys but I thought I would let you know. Also I am considering posting a new story but I think I will wait for a few more chapters to be banked up before i do but thats just another heads up. All I have to do now is choose which story I want to start :/**


	81. Find A Cure For Alzheimer's

"I'm going jogging with Cristina." She whispers to him.

"Okay. What time do you have to be at work?"

"8. We're jogging and will head to the hospital. I will take Coopie with me. See you later today."

"I'll drop Kaylee off at the crèche."

She kisses him goodbye and goes into the nursery grabbing clothes to change Cooper into.

"Hey baby boy. Come on your coming with Mummy and Aunt Cristina." She whispers to him placing her hand on his stomach and rubbing it.

She picked him up and dressed him and put his shoes on his feet. She left the house with Cooper.

"Finally. I was getting sick of waiting."

"Sorry. I hate waking him this early."

"You didn't have to."

"I want to spend more time with him."

The drove towards the track and got out of the car.

"Mumma. Baba."

"I will get you your bottle in a second."

She got him into the pram and gave him his bottle. The started on the track jogging.

"So how did McDreamy react to the pregnancy scare? I mean he loves kids a lot and wants more."

"He knew that now wasn't the time. We have already had 2 kids. We can manage we have since we were 18. We were going to take it one step at a time. Accidents do happen look at how we conceived Cooper. " She says. "I was a bitch to him. A really big one. I felt so bad. I bit his head off."

"Yeah I bet you got over it. The horizontal mumbo." She says.

"Oh yeah we celebrated hard and protected." She says giggling.

"Do you know when you two are going to try again?"

"The end of this year. Cooper will be 2 and a half. We will be 2nd year residents. We will be a little more settled. We kind of wished the stick was positive though."

"Are you sure that you aren't?"

"Yes I am. Truly sure." She says. "What is going on with you? You only want to go jogging if you have a dilemma."

"He thinks I moved in with him. I kind of moved in with him. He still thinks I did."

"What?"

"I kept my apartment."

"Why?"

"Because I like having me apartment."

"You're lying to him. You need to be honest."

"Says you. All those times you lied to McDreamy about how you felt. You shouldn't talk."

"Okay that was 3 years ago. He knows about what happened in those years we weren't together. He knows everything."

"Sure but you lied to him."

"So I lied. Everyone lies. My 5 year old sometimes lies to me. It's natural."

"We sure do." She says. "I thought you told Kaylee that honesty was best."

"I do. I have since she was born. It just happens." She explains. "She apparently was a little bully to Nurse Michelle's son."

"What did she do?"

"Apparently she takes the blue coloured crayon from him."

"Is that all?"

"Yeah. I have been paged a lot of times to the crèche with Nick in tears and Kaylee using a red coloured crayon instead of blue and she has no blue on her page."

"Oh so he is a little trouble maker?"

"Yes he is."

"Oh she is a bitch anyway Michelle. She is the biggest pain in the arse."

"Tell me about it."

They collapsed onto the ground.

"Do you think that we would be different if we didn't meet each other?"

"Yes. I wouldn't have you to bitch to and tell my boy problems to." Cristina says.

"You still listen to me about my kid troubles."

"Yeah well you're my friend and I listen."

They stay still for a moment.

"My brother in law and sisters in law are moving to New York. My nephew and nieces are going as well. I will barely see them. My babysitter is going away for as long as she wants. My family is moving away."

"They're growing up. That's what happens. My mother left me as soon as I finished high school. Everything changes when you grow up. That's what happens."

"It sucks."

"Yeah I know it does."

…

"Welcome back. It's a New Year. And it's time to enforce new rules and enforce rules that have seemed to slip through your knowledge." Richard says. "We are enforcing an 80 hour work limit. Once you work your 80 hours you go home."

"Thank god for that. More time for my kids." Meredith says to Alex.

"Dr Holmes you leave at 11. Dr Poppet you were on call last night so go home. Dr Grey go home. You were here until 2 last night. See you back Monday morning. Dr Shepherd you reach you limit at 12." He says.

"Does that mean I get to go home?"

"Go home before he changes his mind."

"80 hour work limit means the nurses are working harder. Treat them nicely."

"I'll see you tomorrow." She says to Alex.

"Go home. I'll be there soon." Derek says.

"I need to get a gift for them but I will go with the kids. Spend time with the kids."

"Yes. Now go before he changes his mind." He kisses her and she leaves the hospital.

"Mummy why aren't you working today?"

"They enforced an 80 work limit. I have reached it and get to spend the weekend with you kids."

"Where are we going now mummy. We turn that way to go home."

"We are getting going away presents for everyone."

"When are they leaving mummy?"

"Tomorrow."

"I wish that they wouldn't."

"I know you do sweetie."

"Do you think if I ask Kathleen really nicely to stay that she will?"

"I don't know. You could give it a try."

"I will."

The mall was packed. She got Cooper in the pram and Kaylee to hold the side so she didn't get lost.

"We chose a great day to come to the mall sweetie."

"Why is it so packed?"

"The shops were closed yesterday and this is the first day it has been opened since New Year's Eve."

"I mummy I am scared."

"It's alright. Just hold onto the pram and you will be fine."

They dodge through the crowds of people to the gift shop and find gifts for them all.

"I don't know about you kids but I am starving. Let's go and get some food."

"Mummy it isn't lunch time yet."

"I know. We can have an early lunch because we are going to Nancy's at 3 and she has a big fest prepared."

"Yummy."

Meredith just laughs at her. "You are very much like me."

"Of course I am. I am your little girl."

"I know you are. Splitting image of your daddy but a personality like mine."

"Meredith is that you?" A girl asks.

I turn around and see my sister. Not Charlie but Lexie.

"Yeah it is. Hi Lexie. How are you?"

"Good. I didn't expect to see you around I thought you are an intern."

"I am. I had the day off today."

"Oh okay."

Meredith stands there awkwardly.

"It was nice seeing you Meredith."

"You to Lexie." She says before turning around and continuing her walk.

"Mummy was that that girl I met last year and you got into trouble off daddy for seeing?"

"Yes it was."

"Why don't you speak to her?"

"Well I never knew about here until I ran into her or my father when you were 2 months old."

"I thought poppy was your daddy."

"Let's get some food and I will explain it to you better."

She bought lunch and they sat down at a table.

"Okay poppy is my dad. He married my mum when I was 6. He is my step father. That man is my father. He left me when I was 5 years old and I never saw him again until you were a baby. He left me and then Poppy Richard became my daddy. He was a better daddy."

She sits there for a minute with a raised eyebrow. Meredith knows that she is thinking.

"Do you understand?"

"Kind of." She says. "Does that mean Jackson and Charlie aren't you real brother and sister?"

"They are my half brother and sister. That girl Lexie and her sister Molly are my half-sisters as well. It's a little confusing. You'll understand when you are older."

"I think I may understand. It is confusing but I think I understand."

"You are so smart."

"I get it from you and daddy. You are doctors. I think doctors are smart."

"They have to be sweetie. They save people's lives."

"I am going to save people's lives mummy."

"Well that is great. You do come from a long line of doctors. Me and daddy. Then your nanna Ellis. Nanna Carolyn was a nurse but that's still as important. Your aunties are becoming doctors. Your Poppy is a doctor. Nanna Ellis's mum was a nurse and her father was a doctor. It's in your blood."

She smiles at me. "Will you be mad if I don't become one?"

"No I won't because you have to fight your way to be one and become one of the greats."

"I want to fight my way to the top."

Meredith smiles at her and kisses her cheek. "You'll be a great doctor Kaylee. A great like Ellis and a rock star like daddy."

"I can see myself wearing navy blue scrubs and operating on people. I'm going to find a cure for cancer and a cure for other diseases. I'm going to win lots of awards and beat you and daddy." She says standing up on her chair and raising her hands in the air.

"Kaylee sit down before you hurt yourself."

"It's true mummy." She says sitting down. "I'm going to find a cure for cancer and asthma because Sam has asthma. Also a cure for other diseases. What are some diseases that don't have cures?"

"AIDS. HIV. Type 1 Diabetes, Coeliac disease, Huntington's, Alzheimer's." She says and then stops for a minute and looks at Kaylee and then at Cooper.

They could have Alzheimer's. She could have Alzheimer's. Charlie and Jackson could have Alzheimer's.

"Mummy are you okay?"

"Yeah I am." She says smiling. "It would be great if you could find the cure for Alzheimer's."

"I am going to mummy." She goes back to eating her lunch.

"You have an ambitious daughter there." A lady beside them says.

"Yes very ambitious. That's what I love about her."

"Mummy what is Alzheimer's?"

She swallowed the lump in her throat. "It is a disease that affects the brain. It affects your memory. You forget about your age, your family, and the year you are. You forget. You soon lose the ability to do day to day things like drive a car. Eat. It goes on and on and it gets worse."

"I would like to find a cure mummy."

"Your Nanna would be proud."

"Nanna who lives in Seattle?"

"No my mummy but yes she would be proud as well."

"Can we go home please?"

"Of course we can."

She got the kids home and Cooper for a nap. She wrapped presents and then found time to write in the journal.

_The 2__nd__ of January 2016. Kathleen, John, Alice, Brad, Braden, Claire and Lacey's going away party. Kaylee told me today that she is going to find a cure for cancer and asthma. She then surprised me when she said she wants to find a cure for Alzheimer's. She may have the gene. I may have the gene. Cooper may have the gene. We may not but she has hopes to cure her grandmother's disease. The disease she doesn't know she had. I hope she does find a cure because I would like to see people not develop this ugly disease. Especially my kids._

She closed the journal and Derek came in behind her and sat down on the bed.

"What'd you write about?"

She rolled over to face him. "Kaylee said that she is going to become one of the greats and cure diseases like cancer and asthma. I listed off some diseases that don't have cures and she said that she is going to find a cure for Alzheimer's. She doesn't realise that her Nan had it and she wants to find a cure for it." She says. "I also thought that she might not get the chance to. She may have the disease. I may have it. Cooper may have. It's a tough reality that may be true."

"Okay firstly. Kaylee is going to find a cure for Alzheimer's. She is going to find a cure for her grandmother's disease. She is going to have the press all over her for discovering this cure. She will not get Alzheimer's. Cooper won't get it and you won't get it. You are both going to work on this disease together."

"What if we do have it?"

"Then whatever happens, happens. I will be there for you." He says smiling. "I may find the cure for it. I could be saving my wife and kids."

"Okay." She says smiling. "We better start getting ready."

"We have time."

…

Arriving at Nancy's and everyone was there. From Alice and Brad's friends. To Kathleen and John's. Family was everywhere. People were everywhere.

"I didn't know that your sisters knew this many people."

"It's a joint going away party. So of course there is this many people."

"Let's go and find a chair." She says grabbing his hand.

He leads her throw the crowds of people to the kitchen. Nancy, Carolyn, Amelia and John's sisters Rebecca and Helen were in the kitchen cooking.

"Hi ladies." Derek says with a smile.

"Derek you and Meredith are finally here. We could use a hand."

"Is that all we are good for. Our culinary skills?" He asks.

"Yeah."

"Why did you invite so many people Nanc." He asks.

"Well they needed a nice going away party with friends and family. We are kicking everyone out at 6 anyway and having a family one."

"Good because I don't know if I can handle this." Derek says.

Nancy just laughs. "Oh you are funny. Now chop up these."

"I am just going to check on Cooper and I will come back and help you all."

Meredith walked through everyone.

"Hey Braden have you seen Cooper?" She asks Braden.

"No sorry Aunt Mer."

"That's okay sweetie."

She went through everywhere that he could possibly be. She couldn't find him. She couldn't find most of the kids.

"Ally, have you seen Coopie. Any of the other kids?"

"They were just in here a minute ago." She says. "I'll help you find them."

"No you don't need to."

"Yes I do. They are my nieces and nephews."

Meredith looked around the room and behind the furniture.

"Why did Nancy have to build a house this big?" Meredith says.

"She wanted to trump Kathleen."

"Yeah that's right." She says looking at the table filled with snacks and treats. "I know where they are."

Meredith walks towards the table. It had a table cloth that reached the ground so it was an easy hide away. She knelt down to the ground and lifted it up. There she saw 4 of her nieces and nephews and her 2 kids stuffing their faces and platters of fruit, cakes and biscuits on the ground. They all sat in a line and smiled at her. She noticed that Zach was leaning against Kaylee. You could tell that they were all related. They could be mistaken as siblings.

"You are all characters and very alike kiddies." She says smiling. "You have to stop pigging out on all this food because you won't eat your dinner."

"But Aunt Mer it's nice under here." Conner says. "It's like a cubby house. Like the one we built at your house."

"Yeah it is." She says smiling at them all. "Come on kids. It's a time to spend with your family before they leave. You have to come out."

They just look at her with sadness in their eyes.

"We don't want them to leave." Caitlin says.

"No we don't. We won't have Braden and Claire and Lacey around to play with us at birthday parties and Christmas time and dinner at Nanna's."

"Yeah mummy. Braden is the oldest. He is the smartest and he knows how to play lots of games. He gives us ideas at how to build cubby houses and how to tell ghost stories. He is the oldest Mummy he knows lots of things."

Meredith's heart broke at their pleas for them to stay. Alice was beside her listen to the kids tell her why they shouldn't leave.

"Who's going to help me climb the tree Mer and help me with my shoe laces." Maddie says. "I can't tie my laces yet and I'm too short to climb the tree. He helps me onto the trampoline as well."

"They are still going to New York kids." Meredith says. "So is Aunty Ally."

"We don't want her to go either." Kaylee says.

"She plays with us at Nanna's and sneaks us cookies." Caitlin says. "She is our Aunty, Mer. We don't want her to go."

Meredith turned to look at Alice.

"I have to go kids. I am going to Med school and I'm moving with Brad. I love Brad and I want to go everywhere he goes."

"Well tell Brad to stay here." Conner says.

Alice laughs. "He has family in New York kids. I am ready to move on and grow up."

"Ally." They all whine at the same time.

"You stay here with us."

"Stay." Cooper says joining in.

"Ba." Zach adds in.

"Oh you are making me feel guilty for leaving." She says.

The kids all smile at each other.

"Does that mean you are still going?" Conner asks.

"Yeah it does. Sorry bud."

"That's okay."

"How about we go outside and I play a game with you all. Whatever you want."

"Yeah." They say delighted.

…

When all the friends left it was a quieter event. The kids were all playing together and the adults sat drinking and eating. They gathered everyone into the lounge room and Nancy and Derek stood up the front talking.

"Tonight is the last night our big sister Kathleen is in Seattle. She has been here for 28 years of her life and has never left until tomorrow. She is moving to New York for work." Nancy says. "We are sad to see our wise big sister leave but we are happy to see her finally doing what she wants. We wish her all the luck in the whole entire world and we hope she doesn't forget about us because we are her younger siblings and who could not love us."

"We also are saying goodbye to our younger sister Alice Abigail Shepherd. She has been here a lesser time then Kathleen but it still feels like 28 years. Alice you are going to be great at med school and you have finally gotten the courage to pack up and leave Seattle."

"Only because you were a dad when you went to med school."

"Yes that is true but this is home. I have my sisters. My mother. Meredith. Kaylee and Cooper. This is where I want to spend the rest of my life." He says. "You are taking a risk and moving on. You have more guts than everyone else. We love you and we hope you love being in New York with Brad and the two of you are as happy as me and Mer. Stay chilled Ally." He says.

Alice gets up and hugs Nancy and Derek.

"Daddy can I say something." Kaylee asks.

"Sure Kay. Come on up here."

She stands up in front of everyone and smiles.

"I would like to say that I love you Aunt Kathleen, Aunt Ally, Uncle John and Uncle Brad, I wish that you would stay here in Seattle with me and watch me grow up and become a doctor. I want you to be in the front row when I talk to the Medical people about the cure that I created for Alzheimer's and the cure for cancer. I want to see your smiles watching me as I graduate high school. I want you to dance with me at my wedding. I want to see you every Sunday night at Nanna's. I want you to be there and watch Conner, Caitlin, Maddie, Coopie and Zach grow up because we will miss you too much if you leave us. So please stay with us because Braden is the best cousin in the world. So is Claire and Lacey. We don't want to lose our playmates. We don't want to lose Brad either because he is going to be a cool uncle to us all and he knows how to spin us around and lift us high in the air like we are touching the sun and brings us back down to earth and make us laugh."

Meredith felt a tear escape her eye. She looked over at Kathleen who was crying. She got up from her chair and came and hugged Kaylee.

"Kaylee you are the biggest sweetheart. I will be there in the front row smiling when you find a cure for cancer. I will be there don't you worry. Just because I am leaving doesn't mean I am not going to see you again. I will see you as much as I can." She says to her. "I love you so much baby girl. No matter what. You call me whenever because I will listen to you and talk to you."

"I love you Kathleen." She says kissing her cheek.

She pulls from her embrace with Kaylee and smiles at her. "Keep smiling as well because you have a smile that lights up the world."

Alice had soon picked Kaylee up into her arms and didn't say anything except for. "I'll be in the front row of you kindergarten graduation."

Kaylee had gone and sat in Meredith's lap.

"You did good baby girl."

"Kathleen, John will you like to say something?" Nancy asks.

"I'll speak." John says. "To the Shepherd family. You are all full of joy and welcomed me into your arms. You are all full of this beautiful energy it's hard to explain but it's so welcoming. You always have smiles on your faces and make sure everyone is happy and treated nicely. To my nieces and nephews. We love you all so much and we will bring you to New York to visit one day. Kaylee you are a sweetie and you always seemed to make me happy. You have had that about you since you were a little baby wrapped in the protection of your mummy's arms. You have seemed to be my favourite niece. Sorry Caitlin and Maddie. I do love you all though. Keep smiling kids."

Alice couldn't say anything. She was an emotional wreck. Brad just said thank you for being so nice to him in the short amount of time he had been with Alice. Carolyn had her last words and told them to reach for the stars because they could get there with all their talent.

They all had an emotional goodbye to them and kissed and hugged them all goodbye. Even Kaylee was in tears as she said goodbye to her cousins.

Meredith had to hold her and wipe away the tears from her face.

"You have been a great sister in law Mer." Kathleen says hugging her. "And Kay... I can't describe you with words. You though made me change my decision about leaving."

Kaylee bursts into tears again.

"Oh come here." Kathleen says taking her into her arms and holding her. "Don't cry because that smile of yours is beautiful. Someone is falling in love with that smile you know. So turn that frown upside down and you will make everyone happy around here."

"Okay." She hiccups.

"Bye Mer." She says handing Kaylee back and kissing her cheek.

"Bye Kathleen."

They waved goodbye as their families drove away. Carolyn had gone with Alice and Brad. She was going to New York and Amelia was staying at the Shepherd-Grey residences for the time being.

Everything was changing from this day on. It was a weird thing.

**Read and review. I will update a lot faster.**

**Next chapter will be Derek buying a motorbike. I will leave it at that because I don't want to spoil anything.**


	82. No One Paged Me

The next morning she woke without Derek by her side. He was paged to go into work 2 that morning. She had the day off today. It was good as well because Amelia was staying with them while Carolyn was away. They had an extra set of hands.

Derek walked through the door and saw his wife, sister and kids eating dinner. He was expected to be home a few hours ago.

"Hello." He says.

"Hi Daddy." Kaylee says.

"Dada." Cooper says with a mouthful of food.

"Hi Mer." He says kissing her lips. "How was your day?"

"It was good." She says.

He takes a seat at the table.

"We expected you home a few hours ago."

"Yeah I was on my way home. Tom called me to help give him a hand with moving furniture around. He has gotten a lot of stuff from Kathleen and John. I'm sorry I just lost track of time. I'm sorry." He says.

"That's okay. We had a fun day didn't we?"

"Yeah mummy."

"What'd you guys get up to?"

"We baked and then we made play dough and slime." Kaylee says.

"So a messy day?"

"Yeah but we made the play dough and slime outside."

"Well it sounds like you had a lot of fun."

Kaylee nods her head.

"Kaylee tell daddy what Coopie tried to do?" Amelia says.

"We he tried to eat the slime."

"Oh Coopie. Were you hungry boy?"

Cooper just smiles.

"It's okay because it's only cornflour and water. It shouldn't hurt him."

"Mummy I'm finished."

"Okay you can go."

Kaylee got up and left the room.

"I'm done as well." Amelia says standing up and carrying her plate and Kaylee's plate to the sink.

"I have something to show you. Tom gave me something but I will wait until we put the kids to bed."

"Okay then." She says.

They bathed the kids and read bedtime stories to them. When they were sure they were sound asleep Derek took Meredith downstairs and covered her eyes as they walked out the front to the garage.

"Derek I hate surprises."

"I know you do." He says. "Just go with it." He removes his hands from her eyes. "So what do you think?"

"You got a motorbike?"

"Well bought one, but yes."

"When are you ever going to ride it? You can't put two car seats on the back or take the kids anywhere."

"Well I have had one and I wanted to get another one. I always rode them with my cousins. I just thought it would come in handy."

"For what? You can't take Kaylee to school because she is too young to ride it. You can't take Cooper because he would fall off the back. How is it going to become useful?"

"What if I get paged to go into work or have to get some milk? It will be useful."

"How much did you spend on it?"

"450." He says quietly.

"450 dollars Derek. We barely make enough money to survive with two kids."

"Meredith money has never been an issue with us. You have all that money from your mother and the money you saved up from the casual work you did when you were at med school. I have money saved up as well. I have money from my dad. We have the baby fund with money for Kaylee and Cooper. We have money to afford it. I will take it out for my account if it's that big of a deal."

"The baby fund is almost run dry. We used to tap into that for other reasons rather than baby things. You didn't inherit that much money from your dad. We have 2 kids Derek. One is starting school at the end of the month. Cooper is at the crèche. We have things to pay for. We can't go out spending money on things that we don't need."

"Meredith trust me we will be fine. We have money for it. We have money for everything else." He says. "Trust me."

"Okay I will."

"Besides if we become broke we still have each other."

She just smiles.

"Do you want to double me?" He asks.

"We can't because Amelia has gone out and the kids are asleep but we can double something else." She says smirking.

"Oh really. Let's go then." Derek says leaning in towards her and starts kissing her and pulling the garage door down with him and pulling her down to the ground.

…

It was a month later. School was just about to go back. Meredith had this day off. She was going out last minute school shopping for Amelia and Kaylee.

Derek kisses her cheek early that morning.

"I'm going for a ride. I'll call you later." He whispers.

"Okay then." She mumbles but then sits up and kisses him hard. "See you soon." She says lying back down.

"Mer I have ridden motorbikes for years and nothing has happened. I will be fine."

"I know." She says closing her eyes. "I love you."

"And I love you even more."

"Impossible." She says smiling.

"Bye." He says leaving the room. He stopped by the kids room and kissed their foreheads. It was quite early and they were out to the world.

Opening the garage door he started the bike and gave it time to warm up. The brisk summer air was chilly this morning. The sun was starting to rise over the mountain. He loved waking up before sunrise to go out riding. He watched the sunrise and the colours of the sky. He reached tops speeds and the wind hit his face and made him feel fresh and alive. Just like being in the OR. He put his helmet on his head and took the stand off and took off.

Meredith lay in bed and listened to him take off like all the other mornings he rode. She thought he was sexy when he rode especially in the leather jacket he wore. She loved wearing his jacket and when she was cold or just when he would come home and place it on her. She had wished it was 8 years earlier and when they were still in high school. She would always want to double him and that would be a big turn on. When he always came home he smelt of leather and summer air.

She closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

Derek had just reached the outside of Seattle and was headed to the properties, the huge blocks of land and the family farms. He always liked this part of Seattle. It was the life he would want to live. He drove past the huge house with the barn and imagined what his life would be life if he and Meredith lived there with the kids. Life would be great. They would have horses. There would be their children and all the space in the world to run around, grow, explore, play and ride. That's what he hoped would happen when they finally build on the land.

While he rode past the land with the huge barn his pager sounded. He took one of his hands off the handle bars and unclipped it from his pants. He looked down to read it and looked back up. He rode with one hand and that's when the swaying and the losing of his balance happened. He tried to recover but the bike skid from beneath him.

Meredith lay in bed. The kids were still in bed which was weird. So she checked what time it was. It was close to 10. And that's when her pager sounded. 911 – incoming, all staff needed. She shot out of bed and started to dress. She was still getting dressed when she went to Amelia's room. She wasn't there. She woke Kaylee and Cooper up. She dressed Cooper. Meredith made a bag up for the kids. She found a note on the door.

Gone out with friends. I will get my own school stuff. Call you later. Amelia.

"Come on kids we have to go."

She got the kids into the car and left the house. She arrived at the hospital ER with Cooper on her hip and Kaylee clutching her hand.

"We have a mass trauma coming in. A local day care centre crashed into by an elderly driver. The car crashed into the room the kids all were in. We are hearing news that they are being rescued by the minute. So Dr Roach has the list of who is working where. We have lots of kids so do you best and stay on your game." Richard says. "Dr Grey. How do you expect two work with 2 kids at your side Grey?" Richard asks.

"I was on my way up to the crèche now."

"Well go."

Meredith headed to the crèche and then the locker room. She went down to the ER. It was already filled with upset kids.

"Grey where is your husband?" Roach asks. "He hasn't answered his page."

"He went for a ride this morning. I don't know where his is."

"Okay you're with me." He says running out to the ambulance bay.

The ambulance pulls into the bay.

"Sophie Bell, 3 years old. She was asleep in the room. She was trapped under the burning car for a long amount of time. She is unconscious at this moment. 3rd degree burns to 85% of her body. Facial injuries. Severe digit injuries." The paramedic says as they pull her out of the ambulance.

Meredith was shocked to see the girl burnt and half alive. She felt like she was going to pass out. Dr Roach had the same reaction.

"I know it's terrible."

"What are these for?" Meredith asks pointing at the bandages around her feet and hands.

"Her limbs are barely hanging on."

Meredith shared a look with Roach and they soon fell into doctor mode. They shared a look of fear as parents because this could be their children on the gurney.

"Okay trauma 2 let's go." Roach says as they push the gurney inside.

"Call plastics and ortho down here." She says. "And a paediatric surgeon."

"So what exactly happened?" He asks the paramedic as they transfer her.

"An elderly man crashed through the gates at the day care centre and into the front room."

"Negligence?" She asks.

"I think so."

Dr Roach and Meredith worked with their team of doctors to save her.

"Chief we have an incoming."

"From the day care centre?"

"No a 23 year old male. Fell of his motorbike. ENT 5 minutes."

"Okay send me someone from Neuro to check him out and someone from ortho."

He grabs a gown and pops his head into the trauma 2.

"Dr Roach I have an incoming. Can you manage without me?"

"Yes we can Sir."

He left the trauma room and waited in the ambulance bay. The ambulance pulled in and the doors opened.

"Derek Shepherd, 23 year old male. Lost control of his bike and was sent flying at least 50 metres down the road. Possible neck and spinal injuries. Some bone breakages as well."

"Derek." Richard says.

"You know him?"

"Yeah he is doctor here. He is my son in law."

"Richard." Derek says.

"Don't move Derek."

"Meredith is going to kill me. She is really going to kill me."

"Derek don't worry about that right now. She is busy with a critical patient." He says. "We will worry about her later."

Nelson and the ortho surgeon join them.

"Okay Dr Grey in on the floor so be secretive."

"I just passed her then. They have taken the burns girl up to surgery." Nelson says.

"Well everyone else is on the floor. Keep your mouth shut." He says.

They bring Derek into a trauma room and transfer him over.

"I was checking my pager. I let go of the handle bar and lost control. Before I knew it the bike went from beneath me and I was 50 metres down the road. The bike almost landed on me."

"Derek we will take care of you."

"Meredith is going to kill me." He says.

"Derek she will be glad that you are alive. Trust me."

"I am never letting the kids ride a motor bike."

"Order a CT for his neck, spine and brain." Nelson says.

"One for his abdomen as well." Richard says.

"He needs scans on his arms and legs."

"Go." Nelson says to an intern.

This poor girl. You know she was doing her normal thing at day care and she almost died." Dr Roach says.

"A three year old was crushed under a car. Isn't that ridiculous. A day care centre was crashed into by a driver because he can't drive a car properly. Elderly people need to have their license test again, regularly to avoid a building with toddlers inside." She says. "It just makes you think that an incident could happen with our kids inside. This could be our own kids on the operating table."

"I know Dr Grey. It sucks."

"She is going to lose her right ear." The plastic surgeon says.

"You couldn't save it?"

"No. it was too far gone to save." He says.

"What about her feet?"

"I will check them now. I doubt she is going to be able to walk again for a long time."

"She's not going to have a normal childhood is she Doctor Chase?"

"No she is not. It will be hospital visits and skin grafts if…"

"If she makes it." Meredith says finishing off the sentence.

"Yes if she makes it."

"I can't save her feet."

"So that means no right ear. No feet and missing fingers." The paediatric surgeon says.

"Yeah it does. She is going to need skin grafts but I will wait until she gets out of this surgery and we wait a few days for her body to heal."

"Won't that risk infection Dr Chase?"

"It is the best chance we have. She needs her body to rest and be stable before we continue with her other surgeries."

The machines then start flat lining.

"Dr Grey, start compressions!"

She starts compressions and hopes to god that she is going to survive.

"Come on Sophie you need to fight to live." She says.

"He has abdominal bleeding that needs to be evacuated." Richard says to Dr Nelson and The Ortho doctor.

"Well his brain, neck and spine are fine. He was lucky there."

"He has a few broken ribs and a broken wrist. I will put a cast on his wrist now before you take him up."

"Okay I will call for an OR."

"You are one lucky guy Shepherd." Dr Nelson says.

"I know."

"I'm glad you were wearing a helmet." He says. "You do though have a cut on your forehead. It just needs to be stitched up. I will do that because those interns will leave a pretty bad scar."

"Thanks."

"Now you rest up Derek."

"Come on Sophie." Meredith says again.

"Okay get the paddles."

"Dr Grey step aside." Dr Roach says.

"Charge to 300." He says. "Clear."

He shocks her chest and she stabilises.

"Okay. She is alright. Now let's close her up and get her into CCU."

The team of doctors get her up to the CCU.

"We have Sophie's parents waiting for some news."

"Come on Dr Grey we are going to inform the parents about their daughter." Dr Roach says.

They leave the paediatric CCU and down to the waiting room on the first floor.

"They are freaking out because their daughter is on the table. Don't you back into a corner because of their questions and the distress they are feeling? You have to be considerate and be honest but think of their little girl." He says to her. "I know this is the worst thing to think about but just think that you and Derek and in this situation and you are Sophie's parents. You have to walk in their shoes understand what is going on."

"Okay."

"I can talk about her injuries if you want."

"Okay."

"Mr and Mrs Bell." He calls out.

"How is she?" The mother ask standing up with her husband and walking towards them.

"She is in the CCU at this moment." He says.

"Why don't we take a seat because there is a lot to take in?" Meredith says.

They go and sit down in the chairs.

"Sophie was pinned under the burning car. She has burns to 85% of her body with 3rd degree burns." He says. "The plastic surgeon couldn't save her right ear. Her feet and several of her fingers."

"Oh my god." The mother says breaking down.

"They are going to do skin grafts but they are waiting for her body to heal. She is in a very critical condition at this moment and it will be life or death."

"Her hardest fight will be to make it through the night."

"Can we go and see her?"

"She is critical condition and there is a risk of infection. You have to take proper protocol to enter her room. Her skin is exposed and anything could make getting grafts a no go."

"Okay so what is proper protocol?"

"Gloves and a gown."

They head through to the CCU.

"Here put these on." She says. "For her sake we put her under sedation. She will be in so much pain. We decided a medically induced coma as well. To let her body heal."

"Okay."

"You can go in if you want." Dr Roach says.

Her parents enter the room and look at their daughter. The mother starts crying and the father comforts her.

"Meredith, are you okay?"

"I just can't watch. I just picture Kaylee or Cooper there. I can't watch."

"Okay. Go take a break and I will page you when I need you again."

She left the floor and wandered through. She waited for the elevator and the doors opened. She saw Derek lying on the gurney.

"What the hell happened?" She asks.

The intern pushes him down to recovery without saying a word. She follows him.

"What happened?" She yells. "He is my husband and nobody paged me. I expect to be paged when any of my family members are on a gurney. Why the hell didn't I get told?" She yells.

"Meredith." Cristina says. "It's not the time to start yelling. He needs to rest Mer."

"What happened to him?"

"He lost control of his bike. He was checking his pager and it flew from underneath him." She says. "He is fine Mer. Just needed bleeding to be evacuated. He has a broken wrist and a few broken ribs. That is all. He is fine Mer."

"Still no one paged me." She says with tears falling from her eyes.

"I know they didn't."

She goes and sits by his bedside and waits. They moved him from recovery to a new room and she sat by his bedside waiting for him to wake. It was late in the afternoon when he did wake.

"Derek."

"Mer."

"Hey. I'm so glad you are okay. You scared the crap out of me." She says.

"I'm fine Mer. I shouldn't have checked my pager while I was riding."

"Hey its fine. What's done is done. You can't change that. You are safe and well and I that's all I can ask for." She says kissing his lips. "You are an idiot for checking your pager."

"I know." He says laughing. "How long do you think I will be out of work for?"

"You have a broken wrist Derek. You won't be able to operate until it is healed."

"6 weeks. Great."

"Hey it will be okay. You get to stay at home with Coopie and run car pool."

"Great."

She just smiles at him.

"You're going to have a scar on your head like Cooper's."

"We will be twins."

"Definitely." She says.

He makes room for her beside him. She climbs beside him and wraps her arms over his chest careful not to hold him too tight.

"Are you ever going to ride a motorbike again?"

"Maybe."

"Did I tell you that it was a huge turn on? Especially your leather jacket. I loved that."

"Yeah they had to cut me out of that."

"I know what I am getting you for your birthday."

"Hey it's our 2nd year anniversary at the end of March. You may find one wrapped up."

"No I preferred yours." She says.

He kisses her forehead. "I know you did."

She just lays there holding him. "I can't believe Kaylee starts kindergarten on Tuesday."

"I know. She is growing up so much. It's hard to believe that she will be at school for 6 hours a day."

"Well she spends 10 hours a day at the crèche. Maybe even longer. She will think that school is too easy."

"I was meant to go school shopping for her today. I don't want to leave your side."

"Well then go tomorrow morning nice and early."

"Okay I will." She says. "You scared me."

"I know. I won't do it again."

**Reviews please.**

**Next chapter is first day of kindergarten.**


	83. Be My Beautiful Girl

"Mummy I start Kindergarten today." Kaylee says jumping on Meredith at 5 that morning.

"I know sweetie."

"Will I see daddy before I go?"

"Yes. You will come to the hospital with me. Come on rounds with me and see everyone and then I will drop you off at school."

"I get to do rounds with you?"

"Yes you do."

She smiled and lay down beside Meredith.

"What time are we going to the hospital?"

"We have to leave in half an hour."

She got up off the bed and left the room.

Meredith dressed and then went and woke Cooper up.

"Mummy is this okay for my first day?"

"If you think you will be comfortable then yes it is."

She got Kaylee's lunch packed and in her bag. Cooper was ready to go as well.

They stopped by Derek's room and let them say good morning to him.

"Come on Kay we will come by later. We have to get Cooper to the crèche."

"Okay bye daddy."

"Bye baby girl."

Cooper was at the crèche for the day and Meredith changed into her scrubs.

"Rounds." Dr Herron says.

"Let's go." She says grabbing Kaylee's hand.

"Oh who do we have joining us today?"

"This is Kaylee. It's her first day of school today so I have to fill in some time before we go."

"It's a pleasure to have you on board today Kaylee."

She just smiles and then looks up at Meredith with a smile.

"Dr Grey can you please present." Dr Burke says.

"Of course." She says. "Linda Connors, 43. In for a valve replacement. She has had a valve inserted a few years ago but has started to fail and it was decided that a valve replacement would suit Linda."

"Thank you Doctor Grey." Dr Burke says. "We will take you in this afternoon and put the new valve in. It couldn't keep up with you Linda. You wore it out."

"I know Dr Burke." She says and then turns her attention to the little girl clutching Dr Grey's leg. "Is that your daughter?"

"Yes this is Kaylee. She wanted to come on rounds today with us."

"She is a cutie." She says.

"I will see you later Linda." He says. "O'Malley you are on the case."

"How old is she?"

"5."

"Is she going to school?"

"Yeah first day today." She says. "Come on Kay."

Meredith finishes rounds and checks the time.

"We have an hour until we need to go." She tells Kaylee. "I have a few charts to fill out so how we stay at the nurses' station and you can colour on old ER charts. Like I did when I was your age."

"Did you use to come here mummy?"

"Yeah I did. Always with my mum. I would colour on old ER charts in the gallery, play in the morgue this used to be like a playground for me."

"Well Mummy, will every morning before school be like this?"

"No sweetie. Amelia was going to take you today but I wanted to. It's your first day of school sweetie I want to be there. Daddy and I will take you to school the next few days until you get settled and Amelia or daddy will pick you up. Daddy has some time off work so he will bring you to school."

She smiles at her.

"Come on and sit up here."

She helps Kaylee up onto the desk and hands her old ER charts and some pens.

"Now Kaylee you have an important job to do for me okay?"

"Okay mummy."

"You need to watch the clock up on the wall and tell me when the big hand is on the 7."

"Are we going to go to my school then?"

"Yes we are. I will need to get my keys and purse from the locker room but that is only 5 minutes." She says to Kaylee. "So can you do that for me?"

"Yes mummy."

"Good girl."

Kaylee happily sits there colouring on the charts. Meredith fills out the paperwork she has. Most of it is for Derek's leave and for insurance. It was anything to fun like patient charts. Though she did have to keep an eye on Sophie. The paperwork was done and she put it in an envelope ready to put on Richard's desk.

"I'm all finished Kay. So let's go see Poppy. I also have a patient I would like you to see." She says taking Kaylee off the desk and grabs a hold of her hand.

They walk down to Richard's office and see Patricia in there.

"Oh hi. I wanted to drop this off for Richard. Derek's paperwork." She says holding out the envelope.

"Oh yes."

"Is he around at all?"

"He just went down to get a coffee. He shouldn't be too much longer."

"Okay. That's fine. We will come back."

She leads Kaylee down to the paediatric floor.

"Is there were sick kids are mummy?"

"Yes it is."

"I wish kids didn't get sick."

"I know me too. It's heartbreaking." She tells Kaylee.

"Hi Dr Grey."

"Hi Dr Phillips." She says greeting the head of peads.

"You have the daughter in tow today?"

"Only for an hour. First day of kindergarten today. Isn't it Kaylee?"

"Yes mummy."

"Is it just." He says bending down to her level. "Well let me see what I have in my pocket for Miss Kaylee." He pulls out a lollypop and Kaylee's eyes light up. "Here we go."

"Thank you." She says.

"No worries. You have fun at Kindergarten. Make sure you come by again and tell me about it."

"I will."

"Good seeing you Dr Grey."

"You too." She says smiling.

"Hey Kaylee can I tell you something neat?"

"Yeah Mummy."

"Dr Phillips used to give me a lollypop when I was your age. I used to always walk up to this floor, play with the kids and he used to ask about my day and talk to me like I was one of his patients. He is a nice Doctor Kaylee."

"Yeah he is Mummy."

"He started here the same time Nanna and Poppy did."

"His watched me grow up."

"That's nice Mummy. What did you want to show me?"

"Oh yes. Hold my hand and stay by me and be nice and quiet." She says to her.

She leads Kaylee down to the CCU and outside Sophie's room. Meredith knelt beside her.

"Now this is Sophie. She is 3 years old." She tells her. "On Friday a car crashed into the day care centre she was in and she was pinned under the car and the car caught on fire. Sophie suffered 3 degree burns. They are the worst burns out there. That is almost all the flesh gone."

"Is she okay Mummy?"

"Well she lost both her legs. Her right ear and she has lost some fingers. She is burnt from head to toe and she needs new skin."

"She isn't alright is she?"

"No she isn't sweetie. She is in a critical condition." She says. "She has a long fight a head of her and the recovery is going to be a lengthy process."

"Mummy will she be able to walk again?"

"She is going to have trouble. She will be in a wheelchair for a long time. She won't be able to dance like you do sweetie or play with her friends."

"Poor girl."

"Yeah that's right." Meredith says pushing the hair behind her ears. "I wanted to show you Sophie and how much of a fight she is going to have. Sophie was a 3 year old girl going to day care and this is what happened. She didn't expect this to happen because what 3 year old does."

"Not many."

"Yes not many do." She says. "I want you to not take your life for granted because something like this could happen to you and you don't even know it will. Life is unexpected, it's a mystery and it's a gift. You don't know what is going to happen tomorrow or the day after. You don't know what the next hour is going to bring. You need to love the life you live because there are so many people out there who are like Sophie and they don't deserve to be like that."

"Mummy you have to as well you have to promise that you will to because something could happen to you."

"I know sweetie." She says. "Some people in the world do take life for granted and waste it and end up putting someone else in that type of situation. When you become a doctor you see what tears families apart and what was something so small could end someone's life." She tells her. "I have made mistakes and I have hated life at some points. That is natural but live each day to your fullest and you will not regret anything and you will get somewhere that you want to be. Be extraordinary and change the world."

"No regrets. Take life for granted. Be someone. Be extraordinary." She says.

"Exactly." She says smiling. "Kaylee I will be honest with you in why I brought you up here. I saw Sophie when she was first taken out of the ambulance. As soon as I saw her all I could think about is you and Cooper. All I thought about was what if it was you two in this position. It made me upset that a simple routine could be the routine from hell. I brought you up here because you are older than Sophie and you are going to start going to friends' houses and then getting involved in parties and boys. You will grow up. I want you to remember what I told you right now and take that until you die because you could end up like Sophie and you were just going to school or to the movies."

"I will mummy."

"I just want to make sure you remember this until you're dying breath you will have no regrets and you will be happy with what you did in life. I will do the same and have no regrets. You certainly were not my regret. Look at you know. 5 years later and my girl is going to school." She says smiling at her. "I never thought for a second that when I started my last year of high school that I would have a baby girl by the end of my schooling. I didn't even start 2010 with the thought of a baby. Kids were further down the track. You though have made me into a whole different person then I would have been. I love you for changing my life and you have made me love every day. I have had a lot happen to me but you were the change that brought the good to my life."

"You tell me this mummy all the time."

"Well I am because I don't want you to hate me for having you at a young age. I want you to feel like all the other kids because you are the same no matter what they say. Everyone is an individual but no one should be treated differently because they had a different upbringing. If people say something then just say it doesn't make me any different to what I am now. I was raised to be an extraordinary person and I was loved every day by my parents. Everyone is different in life and that's what makes us special." Meredith tells her. "Just have no regret that's all you can take away with you."

"This is a really long life lesson Mummy."

Meredith just laughs at her. "This life lesson was important for so many reasons because you could end up in that condition and you haven't lived your life to the fullest."

Kaylee wraps her arms around Meredith's neck. "Mummy I will live my life. I will have no regrets. I will not take life for granted because I am a unique girl. I am extraordinary."

"Yes you are." She says kissing her cheek. "Remember no matter what you look like it shouldn't be an excuse for people to treat you differently. In my first year of high school I dyed my hair pink because I was angry at everyone. I then realised it was stupid after the first few weeks so I dyed it back to blonde. You may feel different, you are different but I love your uniqueness and the way you smile and make everyone feel happy. You are beautiful no matter what anyone says to you. Remember that."

"Okay Mummy."

"So are you going to promise to do what I told you?"

"Yes." She says nodding her head.

"Okay lets lock it." Meredith says holding her pinkie out to Kaylee to lock. She smiles at Kaylee and kisses her. She picks her up onto her hip. "Let's go see Poppy before we go to school."

They saw Richard and he gave her a big hug. Meredith grabbed her bag from her locker and then they stopped by Derek's room.

"Have fun today Kay. I wish I could take you."

"You can take me on Thursday daddy."

"Okay I will." He says. "No come and give me a kiss goodbye."

Kaylee climbs up onto the bed and hugs her daddy and kisses him.

"We better be going." She tells Kaylee.

"Okay. Bye daddy."

"Have fun today baby girl."

"Oh I need to get a picture Kaylee and her daddy on her big day."

Meredith snaps a photo of the two of them.

"We need a group shot Mer."

"I will get a nurse to take it then." She says smiling.

Tyler followed her into the room. "Okay guys big smiles and say first day."

"First day."

"It's a good one. Have a good day Kaylee."

"I will."

"Okay now it's time to go. Let's get going."

Kaylee climbs down from the bed.

"I will be back."

"And tell me if you cried."

"I am not going to cry."

"Of course not." He says with a smirk. "And I will win 50 bucks off Cristina if Kaylee goes in a happy as Larry and you come back a blubbering mess."

"You're making bets on me?" She says. He nods his head and she rolls her eyes. "I'll be back."

Meredith gets Kaylee to school and holds her hand as they walk to the classroom.

"Stand here. I want a photo of you."

Meredith gets a million pictures of Kaylee.

"Sam." She says running towards him and hugging him.

"Hi Mer."

"Hi Steph. Big day."

"Yes a big day."

"Hey Kay. Sam and you come and stand here for me please."

Meredith gets another picture of her and Sam.

"Oh hi. I am the kids' teacher. Miss Lawson. How about you come inside and I will have an introduction to all you parents."

They follow her inside. Kaylee clutching her hand.

"I can see you dressed for the occasion." Steph says to Meredith.

"I am a surgical intern. I am straight back to work as soon as I drop her off."

"You're going back to work a blubbering mess?"

"Why does everyone think I am going to cry?"

"Because we just do." She says smiling.

"So I am Miss Lawson. I am going to be the teacher for these beautiful kids for the next year. I know this is an emotional time for you all. I know I've been there. This week we will let you walk into the classroom and drop the kids in but after next week we are not going to stop that. It is a sort of transition thing." She says. "Now I am sure you all have work to get back to. Especially you in the surgical scrubs. I will let you say goodbye to your kids and I will look after them."

Meredith turns to Kaylee. She had a smile plastered to her face. Meredith bends down and smiles at her and Kaylee smiles back. She realised that her little Peanut was at school now. She was growing up. She felt the tears fill her eyes and she pulled Kaylee into a hug and held her.

"Mummy I will be okay."

"I won't be." She says.

"Yes you will Mummy. You go to work and save patients. I will see you this afternoon." She says to Meredith. "You can let go of me."

Meredith kissed her goodbye and sent her off.

"Let's walk and talk." Steph says.

Sam had gone off happy like Kaylee and Steph wasn't crying like Meredith was.

"It's always the hardest with the first child." Steph says.

"But you're not crying."

"Because I have 4 more kids to send to school. I have my babies to send all at the same time. How do you think I am going to be then?"

Meredith just laughs. "Kaylee and I had a heart to hear earlier and I reminded her that no matter what people say about you just smile and say that everyone is the same and should be treated the same. We talked about everything and I was just upset to think that in 13 years she will be going to her last year of high school and she will be nearly 18. She is just so beautiful I can't imagine her leaving me at all. She is my baby girl. I had her at 18. She changed my life. I just don't want her to grow up. I want to keep her my baby girl and hold her in my arms forever and protect her because bad stuff happens to kids."

"What is this all over?"

"We have that little girl Sophie Bell in a critical condition. When she was rolled out of the ambulance the other day all I could see was Kaylee on that gurney or Cooper. That's all I could think about. I took her to Sophie's room and I told her no matter what do take life for granted because it's a miracle that you are here. It's a miracle to live a safe life. I told her that she needs to not have any regrets and live her life because a step wrong and she could end up like Sophie."

"It is a scary world out there Mer. We risk our lives every day driving to work. We risk our lives all the time. It's only natural to think of our own kids in those situations."

"Yeah it kind of sucks." She says. "I better head back to work."

"I will see you around." She says hugging Meredith goodbye.

Meredith made it back to the hospital and into Derek's room. She closed the door behind her and he smiled at her. That's when she started crying.

"Come here." He says motioning her to lie beside him.

She lays down beside him and he holds her close.

"She is growing up." He says. "How'd she go?"

"She went in without a fuss."

"I won 50 bucks." He says.

She hits his arm playfully and then looks up at him. He wipes the tears from her eyes and kisses her lips.

"It's so weird." She says. "Such a weird feeling."

"I bet it is."

"She had to tell me everything would be fine and told me to get to work. She told me to let go of her."

"Oh she has been spending a lot of time with Cristina."

She just smiles. "Just think Cooper will be here in 4 years."

"I will be in my last year of residency." He says. "And I will take him to school on his first day. We will go together."

"We will have another baby by then."

"We will." She says. "Can you tell Cristina that I didn't cry?"

"Then I won't win my 50 bucks."

"Well just say I wept. I didn't breakdown."

"Fine." He says. "You better get back to work."

"Kicking me out?"

"No I just think that you would prefer to have a job rather than not." He says. "I would love to spend time with you but you need to make our pay for the week considering I'm injured and we have an extra mouth to feed."

She climbs off the bed and kisses him. "I will stop by for lunch. We will have a lunch date." She says.

…

By 2.30 she had left the hospital and was back at the school to pick Kaylee up. She darted the traffic and got a park and raced inside. Kids were being picked up by their parents. Kaylee was sitting at the desk colouring. Meredith went up beside her.

"Hey baby girl." She says to her kneeling beside her.

Kaylee's eyes light up and she smiles. "Mummy." She says wrapping her arms around her neck.

"How was today?"

"It was great fun Mummy."

"Was it." She says. "Come on let's get your bag and you can tell me about it in the car."

With the short drive to the hospital and the walk to Derek's room she had basically told Meredith about everything that happened. Meredith soon knew what most of her classmates were called, what subjects they were doing first, new games and how nice her teacher was. She told her about their lunch breaks and what they all did. Meredith just smiled and nodded her head.

She dropped her off with Derek and Kaylee sat beside Derek telling him everything. He was going to have his ears bleeding by the time Meredith finished work but he was needing time with his family.

By the time Meredith's shift finished she had changed her clothes, got Cooper from the crèche and went and saw Derek to get Kaylee and go home. She stayed back an extra half hour for Derek's sake. She kissed him long and hard and then they left for home.

They walked through the door and they could smell dinner cooking. The three of them entered the kitchen and Amelia was dishing dinner out.

"You didn't have to cook. I was going to order in."

"We have ordered in for 4 nights in a row." She says. "Anyway you are watching me for a while I thought that I would be useful around the house."

"Well it looks good." She says putting Cooper into the highchair.

During dinner Amelia listened carefully to Kaylee and asked her questions about what her new friends were like and what they did today. Meredith just smiled at how grown up she was.

"And Miss Lawson said that we are going to start writing our names properly over trace cards and we are going to write about our weekends and have show and tell once a week. I really love kindy. It's way better than preschool."

"Wait until you are in Jackson's position and you are leaving school. You will be regretting your words." Amelia says to her laughing.

After dinner Kaylee was exhausted. Meredith bathed both Cooper and Kaylee and Amelia made a bottle up for Cooper and said she would get him into bed. She was giving her a chance to talk to Kaylee.

"There we go." She says pulling the covers around Kaylee and sitting beside her.

"Thank you Mummy." She says smiling. She looked exhausted but she was happy. A smile still across her face.

"So you enjoyed school?"

"Yes I did."

"That is good." She says. "You remember what I told you this morning?" Kaylee nods her head sleepily. "Did you have any regrets about today at all? You can tell me."

"No Mummy. Everything was great. My class is good and they are all nice and it was a good day. No regrets mummy just happiness."

"That is great baby girl." She says. "I'm going to let you sleep because you look exhausted." She tucks Kaylee in and kisses her head. "Sweet dreams baby girl. I love you so much. You remember that. No regrets. Don't take life for granted. Be someone. Be extraordinary. Be my beautiful girl. Laugh every day. Kaylee Sofia Shepherd."

Kaylee's eyes were closed and she was fast asleep. Meredith kissed her forehead once more.

"No regrets."

She left her room smiling.

"Cooper is asleep. He went out as soon as his head hit the pillow." Amelia says.

"Thank you. Kaylee did as well."

"She really enjoyed today didn't she?"

"She loved it. No regrets at all." Meredith says smiling. "I'm going to bed Amy. I'm stuffed." She says kissing her cheek. "Do you need anything?"

"No I am fine."

"Okay night Amy. Don't stay up too late."

"I won't Mer. Goodnight."

Meredith changed her clothes and lied down in bed. It was lonely without Derek. She was glad he was home tomorrow night.

She quickly messaged him and said goodnight before turning the light off and falling asleep.

**Hopefully you enjoyed this. Reviews really do make me update faster. **

**Next chapter Derek finally comes home and its part 1 of a two part story. I will have this up by Saturday at the latest.**


	84. What Did I Do?

"You are all good to go home." Richard says signing the discharge papers.

"Thanks Richard." Derek says sitting on the edge of the bed holding onto Cooper.

"Now you have to take it easy. I know you have been here for nearly a week to recover but you still need to rest up. You could have been in a worse condition but you got lucky."

"I know I did. I could have broken my neck or had a bad brain injury but I didn't. I have a broken wrist and broken ribs and a scar on my forehead." He says. "I was lucky and I will take it easy."

"And by easy I mean don't go running a marathon. No working on brains. Careful picking up your kids. No heavy lifting and importantly no strenuous exercise ie intercourse." He says whispering the last part so Kaylee doesn't hear.

Derek just laughs. "You're lucky we aren't trying for anything baby."

"Yes I am. I would tell you to postpone those plans for at least a month or so."

"Are we good to go?" Meredith asks at the door.

"Yeah we are."

"Let's go home then." She says.

"I will see you two later. I will call you when you're appointment for you cast to come off is next."

"Thank you."

"Now go home and rest. And Derek I mean rest."

"I will."

Meredith takes his bag and slings it over her shoulder and then takes Cooper from him. Kaylee takes his hand and Meredith takes his other hand.

"It was a good feeling going home. He finally got to see Kaylee off to school. Tucked the kids into bed. He got to hold Meredith at night and smell her hair.

Meredith made sure he sat on the lounge and relaxed. Kaylee showed him what she did that day and Cooper just done his usual thing. Amelia was on the armchair finishing off her homework.

It was like a usual family night. He helped her bath the kids and get them tucked tightly into bed. The two of them showered and they lay in bed together.

"I am so glad you are here with me. It was like when I didn't sleep with you for those 3 years Kaylee was alive. That's what it felt like."

"Well I am here now so don't worry about missing me. I ain't going anywhere."

"Good because that really would be the worst break up in the world."

"I wouldn't do that to you. I love you too much to leave. The love the kids too much. I'm going to try and not leave you."

"I will try not leave you as well."

"Well I want you to sleep and rest because you have been doing everything while I was in the hospital and now I want you to sleep."

"I really wish we could do something else." She says.

"I know but in a few days I promise we can have all the sex we can handle."

"I'm looking forward to that."

…

The next morning the alarm sounded. Derek waited for Meredith to turn it off but she didn't. He reached over and turned it off and held her closely.

"You better get up. You don't want to be late for work."

"I'm not going to work today."

"You have to."

"I'm just not going."

"Mer you have to go to work. You're an intern. Saving lives isn't optional."

"Yes, it is. I'm staying home."

He sat there. "Maybe there'll be a horrible accident nearby the hospital. Cut a bunch of people open. Sternotomies, craniotomies. That'd be fun."

"I don't care about surgeries." She says hiding her head under the pillow.

He leaves her for a moment and goes to the bathroom and comes back.

"You have a feeling?"

"Yes."

"Ok. What kind of feeling?"

"Like I might die."

"Today? Tomorrow? In 60 years? We're all going to die eventually. But now, You're late. Let's go."

"Derek, come on."

"Ok. Tell me what is wrong."

"Ok. You nearly died last week. Like you seriously could have been hit by a car or a truck been dead. A three year old girl was practically dead when she came into the ER." She says. "After all the crap we have been through we are happily married and have our two kids you almost died. It's stupid to think that. It's the opposite of a fairy tales happy ending should be. You usually have all that crap happen to you then you find your McDreamy. You don't do it in reverse." She says. "You know I can't remember our first kiss. You know that you always remember your first kiss because it's the first kiss of your relationship it's the thing that lets you know that you are going to be okay. You think you have forever but you don't."

He just looks at her. She falls back down onto the pillow.

"Plus my conditioner stopped working and I think I have brittle bones. I just need something to let me know that one of us aren't going to get hit by a bus. A sign that we will live happily, safe ever after. And in the absence of our happily, safe ever after, I need to stay in bed and feel like I might die today."

"Whatever." He says standing up on the bed. "We are living our happily, safe ever after. Now get your arse out of bed and get to work! Now! Move, move, move!" He says kicking her from the bed.

…

"I haven't been in the OR in two days. I'm getting some OR time." Cristina says. "We haven't had a decent resident."

"The last two weren't that bad." Izzie says.

"Doesn't matter which one we get. They suck."

"They all sucked. I miss Dr Bailey."

She just stood there. After the morning Derek drove with her to pick up some stuff from his locker. She made sure she kissed the kids longer and stayed with them longer as well. She was scared that she would never see them again. She was certain she was going to die.

"You all right? Derek asks standing up close behind her. Everything had gone quiet. The world had seemed to stop for them just to share a moment together.

"I have that feeling still."

"I get those."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"And?"

"If you wait long enough, it passes."

"Promise?"

"I promise." He says kissing her cheek. "I will see you later."

She walks off to the ambulance bay.

He stands there and watches her walk away.

"Do you want to do charts later?"

"Never gonna happen."

"What?"

"Alex I gave you your chance and you slept with someone else. I forgave you in the spirit of being a bigger person, of rising above. But these legs are closed to you now. The panties are staying on. So you and me? Never gonna happen."

"So you don't want to do charts later?"

"Stand over there."

She just listened to their pathetic love lives. She didn't have this crap. She just had married dramas and kid dramas. And family dramas.

"Can we get back to the point."

"You had a point?"

"Yeah. Which surgeon do we have to suck up to today?"

"That would be me."

"Dr Bailey?"

"I've been gone two weeks, two weeks and you ran off two residents? I've got people phoning me at home, telling me my residents are Rosemary's Babies. Nobody wants you. Do you think I have time for this? I am pregnant. I'm supposed to be on bed rest. I'm growing a human being. I'm supposed to be calm. Do I look calm to you? Did I raise you fools to be pariahs?"

George then pushes past Meredith and Izzie and hugs her.

"You're back."

"I'm not back."

"You're not?"

"Get off me." She says.

He turns around smirking at his interns.

"Yang, Karev, Grey. Stay here and wait for the incoming case. O'Malley, page Doctor French. Stevens, get a wheelchair."

"A wheelchair?"

"A wheelchair."

"What should I tell Dr French?"

"What did I say?"

"Dr Bailey? What should I tell Dr French when she answers her page?"

The sound of water is heard breaking.

"Tell her my contractions are 10 minutes apart and my water just broke all over your shoes."

The ambulance pulls up and the doors open. A screaming woman meets them first and she is covered in blood.

"Take her."

Meredith didn't even get a look at the patient she had the screaming woman in her arms.

"How's his respiratory effort?" Dr Burke asks.

"Absent breath sounds on the right side. Air bubbling at the wound. He's shocky and cyanotic."

"My wife was…" The patient says.

"Let's get him intubated and place an occlusive dressing over the wound." He says. "Now you…"

"Hannah. Hannah Davies."

"Hannah. Why do you have your hand inside my patient?"

"For the record, I told her not to." Another paramedic says.

"I tried to tamponade the wound with gauze and pressure, but only my hand stopped the bleeding. Every time I move it he starts bleeding out." She says. "Can I take my hand out now?"

"You don't stick your hand in a patient when you don't know how he was injured. You don't stick your hand inside a patient at all."

"Yeah, I know that now!"

"Out of my room." Burke says.

"She gets to stay?"

"She has her hand inside my patient."

"Nice. Thanks."

"Don't get happy. You have your finger on a bleeder and he is running out of time. The only thing that you have won is an all-expense paid trip to the OR." He says. "Dr Grey, prepare to transport her to the OR and let's make this happen quickly."

…

"How are you doing over there?"

"My hand's getting numb. And this whole 'insides are bloody and squishy' thing is so not good for my gag reflex. But I'm good. Is this ok. Me being in here like this?"

"Once Dr Burke scrubs in he'll have you remove your hand and then you can go and we'll fix Mr Carlson."

"Good. I know how much medicine I know and it's just enough to never be allowed in an OR. It's my second week as a paramedic. I got out of med school a month ago."

"I haven't been doing this that long either."

"Talk about on-the-job training huh?"

"Ok. I'm going to do a thoracotomy and Hannah is going to pull her hand out. Dr Grey is going to clamp the bleeder when we have more exposure." He says. "Ready?"

"More than ready."

Scalpel." He says taking the scalpel. "Ok on the count of three. One… Two…"

"Dr Burke?" Alex says puffed. "I need to speak with you."

"I am in surgery, Karev."

"You want to talk to me, sir."

"Unhook me."

The muffled sounds were all Meredith could pick up.

"He's cute. He single?"

"Hannah."

"Yes, Dr Burke?"

"What do you feel inside of Mr Carlson? What is your hand touching?"

"What do you mean?"

"Is your hand touching anything hard?"

"Hard?"

"Like Metal."

"I don't know."

"Don't move your hand. Just tell me what you feel."

"Dr Burke, what's going on?"

"Hannah?"

"My fingertips are touching something kinda hard. Yeah, definitely."

"Oh, my god."

"Dr Milton."

"What? What's wrong?"

"Hannah I don't want you to move. Not you hand. Not your body. Not an inch."

"Ok. You should know you're scaring me."

"Don't be scared. Everything's going to be fine." He says. "Dr Grey, can you…"

She walks towards him unsure at what is going on.

"I want you to walk out of this room. Walk, do not run. Go and tell the charge nurse we have a code black."

"I'm sorry. Code black?"

"Code black. Tell him that I am sure. And then tell him to call the bomb squad."

She knew she was going to die today.

So with those orders she walked. She felt like running. She really felt that running would be the safer option. But she walked and told the charge nurse and had the bomb squad on their way.

"Why did she stick her hand in there for anyway?" Alex says outside the room after news had been spread.

"She was trying to save his life."

"And now she might die because of it."

Dr Burke walked out into the hallway.

"What do we do now?"

"I do back in and wait for the bomb squad. You leave. You all leave."

"Mer, you coming." Alex asks. She just looks at him unsure. "It's your funeral."

"You need a surgical team."

"All I need is Dr Milton to keep him under. I can do the rest myself."

She just sighs and stays there looking at him.

"Fine. But you wait by the elevator. I don't want anyone in here that doesn't need to be in this OR. When the bomb squad arrives, we'll take it from there. Until then, Milton and I are doing this alone. Now, go."

…

Derek had come home and finished getting Kaylee and Amelia ready for school. He dropped them off at school and then came home. He sat playing with Cooper. He had his pager on his hip out of habit. It sounded.

He wasn't on call so why was he getting paged. This was his new pager. He checked it.

"Code black." He says.

"Dada." Cooper says handing him a block.

"Code black." He says again. Then he realised Mer had a feeling today. "Come on Coopie we're going to the hospital."

"Mumma?" He asks smiling.

"Yeah we're going to see Mumma." Derek says scooping him up in his arms and driving to the hospital.

…

"You're the surgical team?" The bomb squad guy asks.

"Yes."

"Dylan Young, bomb squad. Check the area, then we'll secure the patient." He tells his team. "Where are they?"

"In there."

"The floor has been evacuated?"

"Yes."

"You stay here. Nobody moves unless I say so."

"We got people over here!"

"You said the floor had been evacuated."

"I thought it had. I'm not in charge of anything. Cristina! No, she will hurt him."

"What's going on?"

"Bomb in a body cavity."

"Man. All I got is Bailey's husband's open brain."

"What procedure?"

"Craniotomy with Nelson."

"Nelson has Bailey's husband on the table? Bailey's having a baby."

"Excuse me? Excuse me! Stop talking!"

…

Derek arrived at the hospital. It was like the apocalypse. Bomb squad guys were everywhere. Doctors were fleeing, doctors were running around mad. He knew that it was bad. He held Cooper close to his body because he didn't want to risk losing him. He looked at Cooper. Derek had forgotten to put shoes on his feet. He remembered seeing a pair in his locker but Cooper would be fine for the time being.

He needed to find Meredith quickly to see if she was alright.

…

"So how are they going to remove that ammo without killing Hannah and James?" She asks Cristina. "Cristina! The bomb squad guys said you were supposed to stay away from there."

"Is it me or is Hannah shaking?" She asks looking in the OR.

"Is she squeezing that Ambu bag?"

"Where is Dr Milton?"

They push open the door and see her shaking and almost crying.

"Hannah?" She asks. "Where's the anaesthesiologist?"

"He…um." She says clearing her throat. "He left. He didn't want to die."

"Hannah?" Now she felt like she was talking to her 5 year old.

"I think I'm gonna take my hand out now." She lets go of the Ambu bag and goes to take her hand out.

"Have you seen Dr Grey anywhere?" Derek asks.

"Sorry no I haven't." The nurse says.

"Mumma?" Cooper asks upset.

"Hey it's okay buddy. We will find her." He says to Cooper.

"Hey, somebody help!" Cristina calls out.

Dr Burke and the bomb squad guy enter the OR.

"I'm just going to take it out now. OK?"

"You can do this." Meredith tells her.

"No, no. No, I just want to take it out and be done with it."

"Hannah it won't be much longer." Dr Burke says to her. "Remember you're keeping him from bleeding out."

"No. I am 22 years old. I should not even be in here. This is some kind of mistake."

"We need to clear the room."

"I'm not leaving her."

"Grey."

"I'm not leaving her."

"Get everyone out now."

"She's my intern. I am responsible for her."

"No, it has to come out. It has to come out."

"Yang, go with Dylan."

"You go with Dylan."

"Hannah, look at me."

"No, it's got to come out. No, no."

"Hannah, look at me. You can do this."

"Hannah, you need to calm down. You need to relax and everything is gonna be fine."

"No!"

"Hannah."

"You can do this, Hannah."

"It has to come out!"

"No you will keep it there just a little while longer?"

"I have to! I have to!" She screams and leaves the room.

The next moment went too quickly for Meredith to realise what she was doing. Hannah had left the room. Everyone else ducked and her hand went inside the body cavity.

She watched Hannah leave the room. She watched her leave the bloody hand print on the wall. She watched as she ran out the door. She watched as the door closed slowly behind Hannah. She realised what she had just done. Her feeling was now her reality.

All she could think about was that she was going to die today. Not the fact that she might never see her family again. She was only thinking about she was going to die because of a bomb in a body cavity.

She was screwed. She looked down at her hand.

"Meredith." Cristina says.

"What did I do? Oh, god." She says.

"Just stay right where you are. Nobody move. Stay exactly where you are."

"Meredith?"

"What did I do? What did I do? What did I do? What did I do?" Was all she said.

She couldn't look at Cristina because she knew exactly what she was think and it would have made it worse.

She knew what Burke was thinking.

She knew what the bomb squad guy was thinking.

She wasn't thinking.

"What did I do? What did I do? What did I do?"

**Part two will continue very soon. **


	85. How Would You Spend It?

_If I knew this was my last day on earth I would have not turned up to work and stayed at home with Derek, Kaylee and Cooper. Forgot work when you won't be alive the next day. I would spend it with them and no one else because they are the ones who matter the most to me not sick people at the hospital. My healthy family._

…

Derek had searched through the hospital for Meredith. She was nowhere to be seen. He couldn't even find George, Izzie, Cristina or Alex. He couldn't find anyone with answers. No one would give him answers. He was going out of his mind. Cooper wanted to see his mum but Derek couldn't find him. Cooper was just as lost as Derek.

"We'll find someone. Don't you worry baby boy." He says to Cooper.

Cooper had a scared look on his face as Derek looked at him. He knew something was going on and he was scared.

"Are you scared buddy?" He asks him. "I am too. Don't worry we will find mummy. We'll find her. I bet you she is sleeping in the on call room or she is down in the cafeteria eating. She is safer there then here. Trust me on that one."

…

Meredith stood there. Her hand in the body cavity. Cristina pumping the Ambu bag and Dylan Velcro-ing a flak jacket to her.

"You realise how stupid that was?" Dylan says.

"It was Mer, incredibly stupid."

"Ok you know when you don't need to be made fun of like when I have my hand inside a body that's got a bomb in it and a stranger is Velcro-ing a flak jacket to your boobs." She says.

"You've got a sense of irony."

"Only when things are really ironic." She says. "I had a feeling. Derek told me it would be fine."

"What's that?"

"Nothing."

They waited and waited. It was quiet. The only noises were the Ambu bag being pumped.

It felt like hours.

Burke came back into the OR.

"Time for you to go."

"No, I'm staying." Cristina says.

"There's nothing more you can do here. We got it covered." He tells her. "Cristina, this is not another cool surgery. This ammo can go off at any time and kill everyone in this room. Do you get that? You cannot be in here."

Meredith looked up at him. He said that they would die. She was now wishing she never got out of bed this morning.

"Do you think this is about surgery?"

"I cannot do this with you here. I cannot think."

"We'll be fine." She says. "It's ok." She says nodding her head.

"You know in movies how there's always the hero, then there's the other guy? The guy who sees danger and runs in the opposite direction?"

"Yes."

"Be the other guy."

She watches her person leave the OR. She took a deep breath.

"So, you have a plan, right? You have a way to get me out of this?" She asks with tears filling her eyes. She looks straight at Dylan and his face was expressionless.

…

"Don't you think we should call Derek and let him know what is going on?" Alex asks. "Cause she may die today. His wife may die. He should be here to know what is going on."

"I don't want to tell him. He will get those sad McDreamy eyes and I can't face those eyes." Izzie says.

"Fine I will find him." George says.

…

"Calm down dad." Jackson says. Somehow he had found out about the situation. He had Charlie with him.

"Calm down? I have an evacuated OR, a bomb in a body cavity, a missing paramedic, an intern…. My daughter with her hand on the explosive, my world class surgeon in harm's way, a man on a table who may bleed out at any moment unless we remove the bomb from his chest and my favourite resident in labour who is refusing to push. Really? Calm down?" He says. "You really want me to calm down?"

"Ok, don't calm down."

"I can't calm down kids. Everything is falling apart. Quiet board."

The kids just stay quiet.

"Have you told Derek yet?" George asks.

Jackson and Charlie shake their heads.

"What am I supposed to tell him? His wife may blow up today. She had her hand on a bomb. I can't say that about my daughter."

"You have to tell Derek the truth. He must be at home not even knowing what is going on here. Meredith is in the OR and she may not survive. He needs to be here to see his wife."

"She will be pink mist. He won't see her every again."

"He needs to know. I can't tell him Dr Webber. I have known Derek for a long time but you need to be the one to tell him. You have the answers."

Richard just looks at Jackson and Charlie.

"His right dad. You have to tell Derek. You know how Meredith freaked last week when no one told her Derek had been in that accident. He will react the same way." Jackson says.

"Meredith and Derek are married. You have to tell him because she is in danger and she may never leave this hospital again if that bomb goes off." She says. "Think about Kaylee and Cooper dad."

He leaves the three of them.

"She will be alright." George says to them.

"We hope so."

"I know so. She is the strongest woman in the world. Apart from Bailey. She will make it through."

"Thanks George."

"Where's the Chief gone?" A nurse asks.

"He went that way."

She leaves and George looks at the two of them. Their big sister could die today.

"What are you going to do about Amelia and Kaylee?" George asks.

"We'll leave that up to Derek." Jackson says as he wraps his arm around his little sister.

…

"Is this the strangest thing to happen in your OR?" She asks.

"I'd have to say that it is."

"Good, because I'm very competitive."

He smiles at her. "All the best surgeons are."

She stands there for a moment.

"Someone needs to tell Derek." She says. "I mean I may never leave this OR again. He needs to prepare himself because he could become a widow."

"Grey don't think like that. You will be in his arms in no time."

"I don't think so. All I can think about is him. Then Kaylee and Cooper."

"Kaylee and Cooper will see their mum again don't you worry."

"I hope so." She says.

She really hoped so.

…

"Richard?" Derek says.

"What?"

"What is going on?" He asks.

"Derek sit down."

"Not unless you tell me what is going on."

"Ok, ok. There is a bomb in a body cavity. A paramedic came into the ER with her hand inside to stop the bleeding. They discovered it was a bomb. Meredith was part of the surgical team with Burke. The paramedic is now missing and…"

"Please don't finish that sentence." He says.

"I'm sorry Derek. Meredith has her hand on the bomb."

He gasps. "No, no, no, no."

"Derek calm down." He says.

"I can't. My wife my die today. She has her hand on a bomb which has unexploded. My kids may never see their mother again. I can't stay calm. She is my wife."

Cooper had started crying because of Derek's panic attack.

"Derek I know. I know she is your wife. You have to stay calm because Cooper here is freaking out because you are. You need to remain calm."

"I have to see her."

"You can't go up there Derek."

He was frantic now. He was pacing backwards and forwards in the small space. With Cooper on his side scared and crying.

"She had a feeling this morning Richard. She felt like she was going to die. I sent her to work and she thought she was going to die. I will never forgive myself if she dies. She is my wife and I sent her to work to die today."

Richard looks at him. "Derek sit down."

Derek sits down on the chair.

"Take a few deep breaths." He says. "She will be with you in no time Derek."

"I have to see her." Derek says looking at Richard with tears in his eyes.

Richard looked at him.

"Chief here are the blueprints you asked for." The nurse says interrupting.

"Thanks."

"Hi Dr Shepherd."

"Hi." He says.

She leaves the three of them alone.

"Richard please? Please let me go up and see her?" He asks.

"Derek you can't go up there. Do you understand how dangerous it is? I'm not letting my son in law go up there with my grandson. I can't have it."

Derek got up from the chair and walked away with Cooper. He watched Derek leave. It was not easy on Derek.

"Can someone please give me an update? And where's the head of the bomb squad?" He yells out.

….

She stood in the OR. Watching Burke and Dylan whispering and looking at her it was really annoying the crap out of her.

"Stop it. I'm not a patient."

"What?"

"The two of you are looking at me the way we look at patients. Like I'm going to freak out at any minute. I'm not going to freak out so, whatever it is, just tell me."

"The main oxygen line runs directly under this room."

"Ok." She says. "Not ok?" She asks. "Well? I need one of you to tell me what this means exactly. Because I think I know what it means, but I tend to be 'glass half empty' these days, so I won't trust what I think it means. Because I think it means that if the bomb were to explode over the oxygen line, the whole hospital could blow up." She says looking at both men. "And that's just crazy, right?"

…

"Dad." Charlie says.

"Kids I'm busy."

"We are going crazy sitting there. We need to help. So give us something to do." Jackson says.

"Look, I need…." He says sweaty and disorientated.

"Dad?" Charlie says.

"Dad look at me." Jackson says.

Richard looks at him and sees how lost he is.

"Can we have some help over here?" Jackson says.

"He's full-on diaphoretic." Izzie says.

"Check his pulse." Alex says.

"I'll get him a wheelchair."

"Dad." Charlie screams lunging towards him.

Jackson's arms wrap around her and pull her back.

"We need help."

"Let's move people."

"I'll get a wheelchair."

"I think his having a heart attack."

"No." Charlie screams upset.

…

"Meredith, all it means…." He says. "Is that we have to move."

"Move?"

"Yes. We have to move." He says. "Cause I don't want to spend another second here."

"Wait. I can't wiggle my fingers because we can't shift the ammo, and now you want to roll out the entire gurney?"

"Well, that's our safest option."

"So we move. Not a problem. We can do this. You handling this, Grey?"

"I'm handling this."

…

"So how does it look?" Jackson asks.

"Hard to say. EKG is normal."

"That's good news."

"I'm getting up." Richard says.

"Dad, you should really wait until the blood work is back." Charlie says.

"I'm not listening Charlie."

"You aren't leaving that bed Richard." Derek says standing at the doorway with Cooper. "You're gonna have to go through me."

"Derek there is a bomb."

"I know. Meredith's hand is on it."

Charlie strokes his head and Richard just closed his eyes. Too ashamed to know what is going on in his hospital. He is too ashamed to be Chief at this moment.

….

Each step, placing one foot in front of the other was a risk. Rolling out the whole gurney was a risk but it was the safest thing to do. To avoid the whole hospital blowing up. It was daunting to think that the ammo could shift at any step we took. I was focusing on what will happen if the bomb doesn't kill me. I would be able to kiss my kids goodnight once more.

"You're doing great."

"Let's go over it again." She had heard it before but she needed to make sure she did the right thing.

"The device is shaped like a rocket about 8 inches long. We'll have everything ready, Dr Burke's team will be in place, my team will be in place, then I'm going to ask you to take the hand that you have in Mr Carlson and wrap it around the device."

"And pull it out."

"Level. Pull it out while keeping it level."

"You know, I don't like you very much."

"I don't like you, either."

"I don't usually do this type of stuff. I am more careful with myself because I am a mother with young kids and I have responsibilities regarding them and regarding my husband. I'm usually more careful. I would not have put my hand in there."

"You were saving his life."

"What are you doing?" Cristina asks.

"Stop where you are."

"What are you doing?"

"Dr Burke told you to leave."

"We're moving to an OR further away from the oxygen line. In case we blow up."

"I remember him telling you to leave."

"Where is he?"

"Prepping the OR."

"Then he'll never know, will he?" She says and looks at Meredith and Dylan.

"You stay over there. You stay." He says. "You ready?"

She just nods her head. Words were being overtaking by her pounding heart.

"Tell me something."

"What?"

"Cristina, I have my hand on a freaking bomb, I'm freaking out. Like how I freak out about if Cooper has a bruise on his knee or if Kaylee doesn't want a bedtime story. I'm freaking out. And most importantly, I really need to pee. Tell me anything."

"He told me he loved me. Last night. He thought I was sleeping, but I heard him."

"Burke loves you."

"Yeah. Mind your own business." She says to Dylan.

"Burke loves you."

"Yeah, everybody has problems."

"Well, are you going to say it back?"

"Of course not. He didn't say it to me. He said it to sleeping me. Reciprocity is not required. Besides, he might blow up."

"Excellent point."

The noise stopped them in their tracks. She stood still as possible. Everyone stayed quiet waiting for something to happen.

"All right, everybody. Let's just keep placing one foot in front of the other. Nice and slow. Meredith, we're almost there."

"Ok."

"Almost there. Nice and easy. Ready?"

"Yep."

"All right, let's go."

"You had to say you were going to die today." She says.

"I told you."

The final steps brought them to the new OR. Everything was in place.

"We're ready when you are."

"We're good." Dylan says. "Meredith?"

"Yeah."

"I'm going to extend the wound. When I cut, the bleeding is going to intensify. If we're going to save Mr Carlson, pull the ammo out immediately."

"But remember: Remove it while keeping it level as possible. Nice and easy. No quick movements. Level."

"Right. Level."

"You ready?" Burke asks.

Her breathing was getting louder. She felt as though her throat was closing. She wasn't getting any oxygen. She felt her heart beating faster and faster.

"I…. Do I have a choice?"

"You have to be ready."

"Yeah I guess…"

"Scalpel."

"I guess I'm ready." She says looking down to avoid eyes looking at her.

"I'm good. She can go."

"All right, now, Meredith… wrap your hand around the nose cone." He says to a distant Meredith. "Meredith."

"Grey?" Burke says. "Grey?"

"Meredith?"

"Kaylee and Cooper should know that I love them and that they were the best thing that ever happened to me." She says pulling her mask down.

"No. You hear me…"

"You should make sure they… know I loved them… Derek he needs to move on and be happy. I love him and I want to see him happy."

"Grey? His pressure's dropping. Grey?"

"Look, I can't. No. I can't. This is crazy. Burke, you're gonna go. You go. Both of you should go."

"Nobody's dying today."

"Meredith I want you to look at me. Look at me. I know this is bad. I know that I'm this ass who's been yelling at you all day. So you pretend that I'm not. You pretend that I'm someone you like. Whatever you need. But you need to listen to me."

She looked down and then back up. She no longer had her hand in the patient. The patient and the doctors and bomb squad guys were gone. Derek was there. He was the one she wanted to be with at this moment. Derek was there, smiling.

"I'm scared."

"I know. You can do this. It'll be over in a second. You can do this, Meredith." He says. "Just do it for the kids. Do the kids proud."

"Ok."

"Ok."

She looked down at her hand in the cavity.

"Gently."

She wraps her hand around the nose. She pulls it out level. Nice and slow. Nice and slow.

She was shit scared as she took it out. She felt a single tear fall down her face as she placed it in Dylan's hands.

"You did good." He says.

She steps back still unsure at what was happening. Dylan left the room. Burke started operating. She just stood there stuck.

She realised she had to thank Dylan. She walked out of the OR to say thank you. She took 3 steps into the hallway and the bomb exploded in his hands. A fireball erupted and the sound of breaking glass echoed through the hallway. She couldn't see Dylan no more. He disappeared in the smoke and fire. The force of the explosion reached her. She felt the force coming towards her. She covered her face with her hands and turned her head away. The force sent her backwards hitting her head hard on the ground and landing on the ground with the debris.

The fire burnt and the debris fell throughout the damaged hallway.

She just lay there.

Waiting.

Hoping.

Wishing.

…

"What the hell is happening? Who's coming up?" Richard asks into the phone. "Ok. Come on kids."

Everyone gathered around waiting for news. They had felt a small explosion shake the hospital and were waiting to see what exactly it was.

"All right, people! They are coming up!"

Cooper was no longer in Derek's arms. He was with Jackson. He was waiting for his mother. He had been scared for the whole day.

They stood and waited for the elevator. It signalled its arrival and the doors opened. Burke and Nelson were in the elevator. No one else. Derek paced around looking for her.

"Where is she?" Derek asks.

No one answers him.

"Where is she?"

"Derek."

…

He ran upstairs to the locker room. Burke had said that they took her that way. He walked into the intern locker room and pushed open the door to the shower. He saw Cristina and Izzie holding onto her. She seemed lost. She looked as though she didn't know why she was there. She was a bloodied mess. Blood everywhere along with the smoke. He watched her friends take her gown off and her scrub cap and let her hair fall over her shoulders. He watched them lean her head back so they could wash her.

She looked like a child needing help. She looked like Kaylee when she had her hair washed. She was lost like a child.

He backed away from the door and went to her locker and grabbed her clothing from the locker.

He sat and waited for them.

It was 20 minutes later and they had Meredith wrapped in a towel. She still looked lost.

"I'll take over from here." He says to them.

…

Bringing her home she was silent. Both kids and Amelia were in the back of the car. Kaylee had no idea how close her mother was to dying today. Cooper was glad to be in her arms and Amelia understood every bit.

They got home. Amelia took the kids inside and Derek took Meredith upstairs to the bedroom. He got her into a new set of clothes and into bed. He lay beside her watching her.

There was a knock at the door.

"I was putting the kids to bed." She says. "They just wanted to say goodnight."

Derek nodded his head and the kids came into the bedroom for goodnight kisses and hugs. They soon left and it was just the two of them.

"You almost died today." He whispers.

"Yeah, I almost died today." She says. She just waits for him to say something else but he doesn't. "I can't… I can't remember our first kiss. All I could think about was 'I can't remember our first kiss,' which is pathetic, but…" She says. "The first time we knew that this would be forever, I want to remember that when we had before any of this was ever in the plan. And I can't remember it, Derek."

He let out a breath. "I'm glad you didn't die today."

She rolls onto her side and looks out the window.

"It was a Tuesday afternoon. We had known each other for about 3 weeks. March the 7th. We were walking home from school. We stopped at the park and we sat down on one of the benches. We sat there for an hour talking. We had lost track at what time it was. I reached into my pocket and handed you that bracelet. You were so shocked. You said it was beautiful and that you couldn't take it. I said that you had to because you are the one for me. You are the one who I will marry and we will live happily ever after. You smiled at me. You leant in with your hand on my chest and you kissed me. Soft. It was quick. It was perfect. You know like we do it now. Like we will do it every day for the rest of our lives. I put the bracelet on you wrist and we walked home. Hand in hand. You leant your head on my shoulder and I could smell some sort of flower from when you had washed her hair earlier." He says. "That was the first time we kissed."

"Lavender. My hair smelt like lavender. From my conditioner."

"Lavender." He says smiling.

_If you knew this was your last day on Earth… how would you spend it?_

**What did you think? Let me know. **

**And I have been inspired by the characters profiles and backstories. And I thought that Amelia should have an important storyline in this story because it relates to everything and ties the events together and the events trigger her emotions. So next chapter is 6 weeks later and a lot will happen in the chapter. And I do warn you now it will be a cliffhanger. **

**Anyway that will be up hopefully soon. **

**And I also have another story posted. Based on the Olympics, it is called 'Your My Hero'. So if you want to read more of my stories click on that one.**


	86. To Keep You

6 weeks had passed in the household. Derek had run carpool and watched Thomas the Tank Engine with Cooper. He had his cast taken off almost a week before and was coming back to work today. Starting off nice and easy.

Amelia was still staying with them. They had had a few problems and run ins with her. She was a teenager, it was bound to happen but when you skipped classes and went out drinking til 3 o'clock on a school night that was pushing it. She had also decided that a party at the Carolyn's house would be a good idea. Like last Tuesday night when Meredith got home from work, she found out from Derek that the school called and let him know that she skipped class.

"_Amelia you are a senior. You can't be skipping classes." Meredith said to her one night. "If you want to go to med school you have to get good grades and not skip classes because you were drinking the night before. It's not good enough."_

"_No you don't get to lecture me on these things. I know you skipped classes and you went out drinking and partying."_

"_I barely partied. I had my siblings to look out for and I was pregnant about to become a mother. I skipped classes when I wasn't a senior. There's a difference Amelia. If I did go to parties they weren't on a school night."_

"_Well why do you let me go out?"_

"_Because I thought you were staying at a friend's house."_

"_You have so much to learn." She says._

"_Amelia don't give Meredith that attitude!" Derek says walking into the conversation. _

"_You aren't my mother Meredith. I don't need you lecturing me."_

"_Amelia, Derek and I are looking after you. We are your guardians until Carolyn gets back. We need to see you safe and hand you off to Carolyn safe and well. I am looking out for you because you are my family Amelia. Family cares about family they don't leave them to sit out in the cold." She says. "Besides your mother is just a phone call away. She can be on the first flight back here Amelia."_

_She huffs and leaves the lounge room. Running upstairs and slamming her bedroom door and her music blaring. Derek and her cringe, hoping she hadn't woken Kaylee and Cooper up._

"_She'll come around Mer." He says taking her into his arms._

_Crying then sounded down the stairs and Kaylee walking down the stairs with her teddy in her arms._

"_Mummy. Daddy. I can't sleep." She says._

"_I'll get Cooper." Derek says._

"_I know baby girl. Come sit here with mummy and tell me about school today." She said to her 5 year old. Picking her up and carrying her to the lounge._

_Derek came down the stairs with Cooper in his arms and sat beside Meredith._

"_She has one more chance and Ma is getting called." He says._

"_Go and let her know."_

_Derek headed up to her room and opened the door to her room._

"_Amelia, Kaylee has school in the morning. Cut the music off. It is my house not yours!"_

"_I can do whatever I want."_

"_No you can't because you are at my house. My kids need to sleep and not listen to your ear bleeding screamo. Turn it off!"_

"_No."_

"_Amelia do as I say!"_

"_Derek you think you are so cool because you are a father. You are not cool, you're a teen dad who had a baby at 18 and didn't marry the mother until he knocked her up again 7 weeks before he was due to marry someone else. If dad could see how your life turned out he would be mad at what has happened."_

"_Amelia what has gotten into you?"_

"_Nothing."_

"_Amelia you have one more chance. If you ruin it then Ma is getting a phone call. I don't care what time I call her. She will be on the first plane back to Seattle to see what you have been up to. I have been lying to Ma because yeah you go to parties and skip class but if Ma knows how you have been acting lately then she will not be pleased." He says. "Cut the music or Ma is getting a phone call."_

"_Alright."_

"_Don't you use that attitude again Amelia because it's not nice. Kaylee looks up to you. I don't think you would want your niece talking to you like that." He says leaving her room. He waited a few moments and the music was turned off. So was her light. _

"Amelia can you please remember to get Kaylee from school and get her ready for ballet and drop her off. We won't be home until 5." Meredith says.

"Yeah sure." She says.

"Bye baby girl. I will see you this afternoon. Be a good girl for Amy."

"I will mummy." She says kissing her mum goodbye. "I love you mummy."

"I love you too."

"Bye sweetie." Derek says kissing her. "Have fun today."

"I will daddy."

"Now don't be late for school Amelia and no cutting classes." Meredith says taking Cooper from the highchair. "Remember ballet is at 3.30."

Meredith, Derek and Cooper leave the house. Meredith gets Cooper strapped into his chair and she climbs into the driver's seat.

"First day back." She says.

"First day back." He says.

Driving to the hospital was just usual chatter and Cooper adding in words and pointing out the window.

"Has Amy been acting strange to you in the last few days?" Derek asks.

"Yeah ever since Thursday night. She has been very strange. Her behaviour has just gotten worse since your accident 6 weeks ago. She seems more moody. Like her attitude has changed an awful lot. It's gotten feistier. She bites back at us for asking her to do something."

"She's been skipping school. I don't know why."

"Derek I think something is wrong with her."

"I know. I guess we will have a talk to her later on tonight. She is such a good girl, I don't know what has gotten into her."

"I don't think its stress either."

"I think we are going to have to let Ma know."

"I hate to disagree. I wanted her to have a good time away and not worry about Amelia." Meredith says. "But come on. A couple more chances then we will let her know."

"Meredith come on we have given her chances. She is down to her final straw. The next time she screws up then we are calling Ma. She is the only one who can talk some sense into her."

Meredith doesn't say anything. "Derek I feel as though we have failed raising a teenager."

"We were thrown into it Mer. We haven't failed. I assure you. Besides Kaylee is only five we will raise her through those years. So don't think we have failed. Because we haven't."

She nodded her head and gave him a small smile. "Do you have everything?"

"I think so." He says as he rummages through his bag. "I thought I did. My prescription pad is missing."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah I am."

"Maybe you left it in your cubby."

"I think I might have." He says.

"Mumma." Cooper says from the back.

"What is my man?"

"Tank."

"Is there a train or is it the monorail?"

"Tank."

"It's the monorail Coopie." Derek says. "You'll know the difference one day. How about I take you on the monorail one day I am off. We can ride the monorail all you like."

"Yeah dada." He says clapping his hands.

"His getting too big." Meredith says to Derek.

"I know. He is almost 21 months. No longer our baby."

_5 weeks before_

_Amelia took the stairs quietly. It was late that night. Kaylee and Cooper were asleep and Derek was in bed. Meredith was due from home soon. So she had to act quickly. Walking into the den she looked out to see if Meredith was home yet. The car wasn't there so she turned to find Derek's bag he took to work. His prescription pad was bound to be in there. She rummaged through but jumped when she heard the keys in the front door._

_Meredith walked in placing her coat up on the hook._

"_Amy what are you doing up?"_

"_I was doing homework. I can't sleep. So I was just grabbing some extra paper for an essay."_

"_Oh ok. I'm off to bed. I'll see you in the morning. Don't stay up too long either." She says kissing Amelia's cheek and then walking up the stairs._

_Amelia watched her and waited until she heard the door close before she rummaged through his bag again. She then found what she was looking for and zipped his bag back up. She hip the pad under her shirt and turned the light off and headed off to bed._

_This is what she was after._

"Welcome back Derek." Mark says.

"Thanks Mark."

"You ready to operate."

"I need to take it slow. I haven't done any medical things for 6 weeks. I need to steady the process in."

"Oh yes right. Well anyway we are in the pit today."

"Of course."

"How has Amelia been lately?"

"She's been acting strange. She has been going to parties on a school night and is drunk when she gets home. She's been cutting class. She's been weird." Derek says. "Have you seen her acting differently."

"Yeah when I dropped Cooper back home the other day when Meredith was on call she was acting weird. Like a deer in the headlights. That's how she was. All jittery. An attitude. She isn't pregnant is she?"

"Mark I don't think so. She has been out drinking all the time and you can tell when someone is pregnant because they look tired and they puke a lot. Well she has been puking but that's with the excess drinking and she's lost a lot of weight." He says. "It could be stress though."

"Maybe dude."

"Damn."

"What?"

"My prescription pad isn't here. I must have left it at home."

"We'll we will go and get you a new one on the way down to the pit."

"Why are they all in the hallway?" Meredith asks.

"Overflow from the ER." Cristina says.

"Employee went postal. Shot up a restaurant." Izzie says.

"I heard he got away." George adds.

"Really?

"Lower left leg deformity from GSW. Pedal pulse is strong and intact. Paramedics said he got five of morphine in the field." Meredith tells Callie.

"Trust me it was not enough." The patient says.

"Probably the tibia. Rule out other injuries then get him to radiology."

"Let's get her up to CT. Get a hold of her parents. Get them down here. What's her name?" Nelson asks Derek.

"Kendra. Kendra Thomas." Derek says.

"Kendra." Nelson mutters.

"Have you seen any enema kits?" Alex asks.

"We have 13 GSWs. You're looking for enema kids?"

"I'm trapped upstairs with the gyno-beast on uterus parade."

"She can't do this to you forever Alex."

"You want to bet? I swear to god, she's ruining vaginas for me."

"Can you imagine? You're at work, you're doing your job and somebody comes in and shoots you. Just puts a bullet in your head." Derek says to George. "19 years old."

"Parents are on their way. Also…"

"We need to get her into the OR now." Nelson says.

"The bullet's gone through the midline."

"Also…"

"Look at the size of the haematoma. Also?"

"What?"

"You said also twice." Derek says.

"Yeah. Also, she's pregnant."

That just shot Derek's mood down again.

"Hey, I'm management, so I'm 100% covered. I could spend a year in this hospital, wouldn't cost me a cent. When I told you about management, you shoulda listened. Cause now you're screwed. If you spend one day in this ER, that's three months' rent." A patient said.

"Is there any chance you can please, up my morphine?" Meredith's patient asks.

"If he keeps talking, pretty soon I'm going to need some. I'm used to my daughter talking but this guy, I'm gonna need some."

"Can you find out about Kendra for me?"

"Are you two friends?"

"Not friends, exactly. But everyone likes her. You know, she's… she's just… she's nice. She'll cover your shift. She's good with customers. She's real generous when it comes to tipping busboys."

"Let me guess. You're a busboy?"

"Yes I am." He says. "Plus she's the only one that calls Brad on his crap."

"Why don't you say something?"

"Yeah, I wish. I'm saving up to go back to school. I need the job."

"What are you, socialising? I have five more patients for you to see and Will needs to get to surgery. Move your arse."

Will looks at her.

"I need the job to support my family." She tells him leaving his bedside.

"Kendra's foetus is 12 weeks along." The neonatal doctor says.

"Kendra's parents are here." Derek tells Nelson.

"Let them know the situation, get the consent forms, then scrub in Derek."

"I've finished all five of your patients. Do you mind if I scrub in? I've never seen an ORIF before."

"Cant'. The board's all backed up like crazy. Will's going to have to wait, because every specialty thinks their surgeries are more important than Ortho. Freaking superior macho jerks."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah."

"About teenage girls."

"Teenage girls."

"Yes. Amelia. Derek's Sister. We are looking after her while Carolyn is away. I need to ask you a question about her."

"We have a patient with a bullet lodged in his tibia who might walk with a limp for the rest of his life, or even lose his leg, and you're asking me about teenage girls when you are a mother yourself. You should know the answer. Unbelievable." Callie says to her.

Meredith had no reason why Callie was acting like a bitch.

"There is no spontaneous brain activity and she isn't going to wake up." Dr Nelson says.

"Oh, god."

"What about the baby? Is the baby OK?"

"As far as we can tell, the baby's fine, but… that's not the point." Derek says.

"Essentially your daughter is dead." Nelson says. "We need your consent to remove her from life support."

"What if we kept Kendra alive? Could the baby live?"

"With all due respect, sir, you don't want to do that." Derek says.

"Are you part if this family? Do you have a daughter? If you don't, you really ought to just shut up!"

"Our daughter could have this baby?"

"Karev. He stood there and chose that moron over me."

"I mean, I'm trying to help Amelia getting a huge lecture from her mother about her making her cancel the trip and Derek wants her to come home. Like Amelia means nothing to him."

"He's not reward Karev, he's punishing me."

"He is just not giving her a chance to mess up. She's a teenager."

"He withholds surgery when I'm a bad girlfriend. It's his MO. I mean, how controlling and macho and petulant is that?"

"At least his not shooting people and cancelling holidays."

"I'm dumping him. This relationship is so over."

"I told a lie… to Dr Burke." Izzie says all jittery.

"Good for you. Fight the power."

"No, no. I need…" She says. "God, I can't think. I… I can't… I don't know what to do. What do I do?" She says. "There's this guy ahead of Denny on the transplant list."

"He'll get the next heart, Iz."

"No! He needs to get this heart!"

"He'll probably get a heart at some point, but as long as he's doing well on the LVAD and someone's ahead of him on the list, he's not going to get this heart. Ok?" Cristina says.

"Yes your right. Ok. Thank you. Thank you."

"Ok if I was going to pick someone who'd go psycho and shoot up the place… It's Izzie."

"Totally." She says agreeing.

"I know this is a bad time, but do you still want to go ahead with the baby?" Derek asks.

"We haven't decided on anything."

Derek goes to leave but turns back around. "Sir? You asked me before if I had a daughter. I do. I have a beautiful 5 year old daughter. I have a son as well. They are my world. I have a family. A couple of families. With families you don't necessarily like what they do. Their choices and their decisions. But you stick by them. Right now one of my wife's best friends, her boyfriend is dying. Heart failure. He's 36. Kendra's driver's license says she's a donor. She's not a match, but she could save a dozen other lives. And from what I know about Kendra, what I've heard, I got to believe that if she had the choice between where she is right now and saving a dozen other people, she'd save those people. That would be her decision. So the question is… whether you stick by her one last time." Derek says. "If I was in this situation, with my daughter. I would stick by her decision one last time." He says. "Excuse me."

"You paged?" Meredith asks Callie.

"Yeah." She says standing. "I know that you and Derek are having a rough time. You know after his accident and looking after a 16 year old. You have two kids. They aren't teenagers yet. I know that you barely had your teenage years. I ran into Mark and he said that Amelia is having a hard time. Just tell me what's going on and I will fix it and give you something else to go by."

"You don't have to."

"We are all family. We've gone through school with each other. I started out with Derek in med school and as interns. We are family. So tell me what is up with Amelia."

"Ok. Well ever since Derek's accident she's been very secretive. She's been out to parties on a school night until 3 in the morning. She's cutting classes and barely holding up her responsibilities. She's moodier and she just hasn't been herself. Carolyn is away and we are watching her but it may be the last straw with whatever she does next time. I just want the girl to have a chance because the last 6 years have been hard on her. She's lost a father. That's the hardest thing to ever happen to a girl. Especially when you were 10 years old at the time." She says. "She doesn't talk to us."

"You just need to sit her down and ask her what is wrong. It could be boy issues. School issues. Friend issues. She could be missing her mother."

"I don't think so."

"Just ask her. Take her out for coffee and ask her."

"Ok. I can do that." She says. "Thank you Callie."

"You're welcome Meredith."

…

"Come on Kay." Amelia says to Kaylee. "Get home before your mother and father does."

"Amy when will nanna be back?"

"I don't know yet sweetie." She tells her niece. "She is having a great time in New York."

"With Aunty Kathleen?"

"Yes with Kath. But also with her brother and sisters."

"I'm going to go to New York one day Amy and see Braden."

"Ok sweetie you can do that." Amelia says helping her click the seat belt in. "You ready to go?"

"Yes I am."

She checked Kaylee's seatbelt a few more times. She wanted Kaylee to be safe.

She sat in the driver's seat and took out the bottle of prescription pills. She took half a dozen and then started to drive home.

"How was school Kay?" Amelia asks her trying to keep herself distracted.

"It was good fun. Sam and I got to do a special job today. We got to go and meet with this president man. He came to our school to meet some of the kids. Sam and I read him stories from our storybooks that we wrote. I read him the story about my life. The one that daddy helped me write and Sam and I told him that we are going to get married when we are older because we have known each other since we were tiny babies. That was in my story as well. The president man liked out stories and he asked me questions about mummy and daddy and where they work and I told them they fix people at Seattle Grace and I'm going to run that hospital like my poppy."

They were close to home. Amelia took a few more pills. That made it 10. She was getting delirious. Kaylee's voice was fading in the background and the cars and people on the street were become blurs. She turned onto the street and drove to the house. She didn't even line up in the driveway and crashed into the garden at a fare speed.

"Is that Amelia?" Meredith asks.

"She is all over the road." Derek says. "Something is happening."

Amelia stumbled out of the car and collapsed onto the ground.

"Oh my god!" Derek says jumping out of the car. "Amelia!"

"Derek, Kaylee!" Meredith says getting Cooper from his seat and following Derek.

He runs to the car and sees the air bags have gone off.

"Kaylee!" Meredith says.

"Amelia. Come on." He says checking her pulse.

Crying sounded from the car and Meredith opened the door.

"Kaylee."

"Mummy." She says upset.

"Hold on baby girl." Meredith tells her.

"Mummy."

"Derek how's she doing?" Meredith asks. "Derek!" She had Kaylee in her arms and held her. "You're safe."

"Amy." She whimpers.

She didn't know what to do. She sat the kids on the ground facing their mother instead of their aunty. Meredith watched Derek.

"Just look at me. She'll be fine." Meredith tells her. "Let's sing a song, Ok?"

Kaylee nodded her head.

"Ready, how's my luck. But somehow. I'm with you." Meredith sings to her.

Derek was pumping Amelia's chest. "Come on Amy."

"Let's leave now. Let's leave them and their point view. My favourite place is me and you."

His hands hit her chest harder and harder. "Come on."

"I wake up in darkness night. I watch you breathe. In shadow light. A perfect world."

"Come on."

"Lies next to me. Now I don't need to sleep to dream. I just hope I am good enough to keep you."

"Morning sun. Warms our skin. Distant sounds. The day begins. Soon their worlds will come calling forwards. This is space they cannot touch."

"Come on Amy. You can't die."

"This is space they cannot touch. I just hope I am good enough to keep you."

"You can't die Amy."

"To keep you."

"Amelia." He says pumping her chest once more.

"To keep you." Meredith and Kaylee sing. Meredith keeps the smile on her face. She didn't want her daughter to know what was going on behind them.

**Let me know what you thought. **

**I will update in a few days.**


	87. I Can Bet You That Now

"Come on." Derek says one last time.

It had been the longest two minutes pumping her chest.

A gasp made the two of them relieved. Derek looked at his baby sister and then at Meredith.

"Amelia you scared the crap out of us." Derek says to her.

She looks at him confused. Derek checks her pupils and her pulse. "We need an ambulance."

"What for?"

"She's overdosed."

Meredith looked at him and closed her eyes. Carolyn was definitely coming home now.

An ambulance arrived and Derek took off to the hospital with her.

"Mummy will she be ok?"

"Yes she will be."

"She really scared me."

"She scared me as well. I thought you were hurt baby girl."

"It's alright mummy. I'm a tough girl."

"I know." Meredith says smiling at her. "I have to make a call about the car. We will go to the hospital after the phone call. Go get changed out of your leotard sweetie."

Kaylee climbs down from the chair. Cooper was on Meredith's hip drinking from his bottle.

"You alright baby boy?"

"Yeah Mumma."

"Good. I'm glad you are." She says kissing his head.

She made the phone call about the car and packed a few things into her bag. Kaylee came back into the kitchen changed.

"Ok grab something to do while we are at the hospital. What about your homework?"

"I already did that mummy."

"Good girl. What about your colouring."

"Good idea mummy."

She was putting shoes on Cooper's feet when she got a text. She read it. It wasn't from Derek. It was from Carolyn.

_Hi dear. Just checking up on everything. How's Amy doing? Anyway give me a ring when you're free_.

Amelia had crossed the line this time. They knew that they would be calling Carolyn.

"I'm ready mummy."

"Ok, let's go."

She got Kaylee's booster seat from the wrecked car and strapped it in. She got the kids into the car.

"Just hold on a second. I have to grab the stuff from the car."

Searching through the car she grabbed the stuff from the back. The pram and other kids things that ended up in there. The car seats were out. She grabbed Kaylee's ballet bag from the front seat and Amelia's bag. She cleaned the loose change from the car and grabbed the keys. A little orange bottle caught her eye. She grabbed that and looked at it.

"Amelia Shepherd." Meredith says. She threw the painkillers into Amelia's handbag.

She filled the car with the stuff she recovered and ran inside to grab her handbag.

The drive to the hospital was a nervous drive. The people were coming to tow the car. It had been totalled. They were going to have to invest in a new car. They were going to have to explain to the police what happened. Then they were going to have to question how she got painkillers in the first place. When she came to a fast stop at the lights that question was answered. The prescription pad fell from Amelia's bag on the front seat.

"That stupid girl." Meredith mutters. "She stole Derek's prescription pad."

She pulled into the car park. The ambulance bay had police surrounding the bay and flashing lights.

"Mummy what's going on?"

"I don't know sweetie."

She grabbed Amelia's handbag and hers before helping the kids from the car. She held their hands as they walked into the hospital.

"Where is she mummy?"

"I will call your dad and see."

Meredith was so pissed off. She was keeping a cool though in front of the kids she didn't want to make the situation worse.

"Ok, come on." She says grabbing their hands.

They avoided the ER which was chaotic. Amelia had been placed in a room and was resting. The doctors were watching her overnight.

"Hi." Meredith says greeting Derek.

"Hi." He says kissing her cheek.

"I have to show you something but not in front of Kay."

"Yeah okay." He says. "Kaylee can you stay here for a moment? Mummy and I have to go and talk to a doctor."

"Ok daddy. I will watch Aunt Amy for you."

"Good girl." He says.

Cooper was in on Meredith's hip as they walked out to one the nurses' stations. She placed Amelia's handbag on the desk.

"Take a look."

Derek opens the bag and pulls out his prescription pad.

"That's where it was."

"Have another look."

He looks through her bag more. He found a packet of smokes and then bottles of prescription pills. He was also pissed off when he found methamphetamine hidden.

"She is so stupid."

"I know. I didn't know she was smoking though." Meredith says. "Keep looking through her bag because there may be more stuff we should know about."

Derek rummaged through her bag. He pulled out her purse and went through her purse. "We have receipts for the medication and alcohol. We have fake ID's and detention slips. Also a letter from the deputy principal asking for an interview with her guardians. That was from today."

"What are we going to do?" She asks.

"She almost died Meredith." He says. "She was dead for 2 minutes. I had to pump her chest. She crashed my car with our 5 year old in the car. She almost killed out daughter Meredith. She has a drug habit. She stole my prescription pad to feed her addiction, she was stealing money. Meredith she was high while she had our daughter in the car. She has crossed a line Mer. She has seriously crossed a line."

"Derek I know she crossed a line. She almost died today. She almost killed our daughter. She overdosed on painkillers and everything else. I know she did. I am so mad that I don't know what to think anymore. I don't know what to do anymore." She says. "She needs help Derek."

"Ma needs to know."

"Don't call her just yet. Let us hear what Amelia has to say before we call her." Meredith says taking his phone from his hands. "We need to hear her out."

"She blew her last chance Mer."

"I know she did. But we need to hear what her side of the story is." She says. "Just listen to her."

"Meredith I can't after everything that happened today. I just can't." He says in a hushed voice. "She was dead and I got her breathing again. Meredith, Kaylee was in the car that she crashed. Kaylee could have died today. Why can't you see it that way?"

"I am but this time it's about Amelia. Kaylee is safe. Not even a mark on her. Amelia yeah she overdosed but this time it's about her. It's about your father."

"How do you know?"

"I asked for some advice. It's about Michael."

"That was 6 years ago."

"Yes I know. She was 10 and you were almost 18. It has only hit her now. You don't know what has triggered the emotions and the depression. It's about your father Derek."

"Well why didn't I lash out like she has?"

"Because she was young then. She didn't really understand. I know she was 10 years old but she was still young to understand the depth of what happened. She is coming to terms with it now. You though were older and knew a little better. You did go a get drunk and we made Kaylee that night. That's something good. You have become a father and haven't had all that time to think like Amelia has. She has been through school with kids staring and pointing at her. She has become a super freak to them. You need to listen to what she has to say."

"Mer I can't at this moment. I need to tell Ma." He says reaching for his phone.

"No Derek. You're not calling her. You'll have to go through me."

He looks at Meredith and then at Cooper.

"Just think, how would you react if it was Kaylee in this position after we left her for 3 months. We would feel guilty. We need to know what is going on in Amelia's head before we call Carolyn. I know I sound unreasonable and wrong but it's the truth."

Derek turned on his heel and walked into her room. He looked at his sister who was looking out the window.

"Hey Kaylee come with me sweetie. Let's go for a walk." Meredith says to her.

Kaylee grabs Meredith's hand and they leave the room. Derek just stood there.

"Have you called Ma yet?"

"No."

"You should. I screwed up again. This was my last chance. I almost died and killed your daughter. You should call Ma."

"Amy I'm not calling Ma. Not just yet." He says. "Meredith says I need to talk to you."

"About what? My drinking. The drugs. Skipping school. Detentions I have been getting. The talk the deputy principal wants to have with you. Stealing your prescription pad. Money." She says. "What do you want to talk to me about?"

"Don't use that attitude with me."

"I will. You're not my father."

"Is this about dad?"

She didn't say anything.

"Amy tell me?" He pleads sitting on her bed.

She goes to open her mouth but stops. She just looks at him and then turns to look out the window.

Derek's pager sounds at his hip.

"I have to go. I will be back Amy." He says leaving her room.

As soon as Derek left she broke into tears.

"Meredith." George says. "Thank god you're here. I need your help."

"George I can't." She says. "Cristina is still here."

He runs off in the other direction.

"Mummy will Aunt Amy be ok?"

"Yeah she will be. She just has to stay here overnight. That's all."

"Are you mad at her because she crashed the car and almost hurt me?" Kaylee asks standing still on the stop.

Meredith looked at her daughter. Her eyes were pleading for the answer to these questions.

"Come over here and take a seat Kay."

Meredith sits down with Cooper on her lap and Kaylee beside her. Her daughter had a close call today. She doesn't even realise how close she came.

"Ok how can I explain this to you?"

"However you want mummy. I will understand."

"Amelia… She has had a rough 6 years. You know. She has lost a dad. She's had to grow up and just a lot of things have happened to her. Her boyfriend and her broke up. She has just been upset… or depressed is more of a way to put it."

"Does depressed mean you are really sad?"

"Yeah it's kind of like that. You are just sad and down in the dumps. You don't want to get out of bed and you just have bad days."

"Is that why Amy has been not going to school?"

"Yeah sweetie. She has been out partying as well. She has just been doing things to make her feel better." Meredith tells her.

"I saw her take these tablets mummy. Before she drove off. Is that to make her feel better?"

"Yeah sweetie it is." Meredith tells her. "That was dangerous her taking those pills. She wasn't supposed to have them."

"Is that what made her crash the car?"

"Yes it is." Meredith says. "Kaylee when you get older you will go to parties and people will offer you these types of pills and other things. Don't take them. Don't take anything you are unsure of. Just say no. People may call you a chicken and other names but don't let them peer pressure you. Just leave. Just be careful what you take from people. It can be dangerous."

"Ok Mummy."

"Promise me."

"I promise you Mummy."

"Good girl." Meredith says kissing her forehead.

"Mummy are you and daddy mad at her for almost hurting me?"

"Yes we are in a way."

"You shouldn't be mummy."

"Why not?"

"Because accidents happen and Amy is upset."

"I know she is. What would happen though if we lost you? We wouldn't be happy. You wouldn't be around. I know it's an accident but you wouldn't be here with us."

"Mummy we all make mistakes. I know that was a bad one but Amy is sorry. I know she is. She told me before the car crashed and just before when you and daddy were outside the room. She is really sorry Mummy."

"I know baby. I know she is sorry. Amy wouldn't be able to live with herself if something happened to you."

"I know Mummy."

"I love you so much sweetie."

"I know." She says. "I love you too."

"Just be careful with yourself. You will make wrong decisions most of the time but then you know for next time. It's called growing up. Sometimes it sucks." Meredith says pushing Kaylee's curls behind her ear. "I know I have been there. Sometimes you want to finally grow up but other times you want to go back to when you were a kid and didn't have to face all this stuff."

"I want to grow up Mummy."

"You are going to regret those words so much." Meredith says smiling at her. "How about we go and get some dinner. I am starving."

"Pizza sounds great."

"Pizza it is. Let's go and find your Daddy."

They walked through the hospital trying to find Derek.

"Have you seen Dr Shepherd around?"

"He is in a surgery."

"Oh ok. That's alright. We'll be back later." Meredith says. "Who is scrubbed in with?"

"Nelson and Webber."

"Thank you." She says. "Come on kids let's get some dinner and we might go home."

They walked down the corridor and past the ICU. She knew that Denny's room was on this floor and she knew he was getting a heart. She just didn't know what room he was in. She walked past one room completely sealed. Doors were shut and blinds were closed. She just picked up pace and they left.

"What pizza do you want Kay?"

"Hmm, I will eat whatever you get mummy." She says. "It's your turn to choose."

"Well how about we get this Italian Chicken."

"With no olives."

"Ok with no olives. Then we get a small cheese pizza and some dippers."

"That's a lot of food mummy." Kaylee says. "But yes let's."

Meredith giggled at Kaylee.

"And a drink as well?"

"Yes we can get a drink." She says. "Hi can I get a large Italian chicken. No olives. A small cheese pizza. A triple dippers and we will get two bottles of water."

"Is that all?"

"Yes thanks." She says sitting Cooper on the counter to grab her purse.

"So that comes to 32.50." The guy says. Meredith hands over her money. "Ten minutes."

"Great. Thank you." She picks Cooper up and grabs 2 waters from the fridge and straws. They find a table and sit down.

"Mummy it seemed very busy at the hospital."

"I know sweetie. It's Wednesday."

"I'm kind of sad daddy was in surgery. I wanted a family dinner."

"Me too." Meredith agrees. "But you have gotten to spend 5 weeks with daddy. That's pretty cool. I barely have been home for dinner."

"Well what about tomorrow night? Family dinner tomorrow night?"

"I hate to promise because something could come up. So Maybe."

The smile crept onto Kaylee's face as she drank for her drink.

"Tell me about school sweetie."

"Well this president man came to our school and Sam and I got to go and meet him. It was heaps cool. We read him the stories we wrote about our lives and because Sam and mine was the neatest and the best we got chosen."

"Is that the story daddy helped you with?"

"Yes that one." She says her eyes widening with excitement. "Well he really liked my story and he especially liked the part about where I was born."

"Kay you're going to have to read me your story. I haven't seen it yet."

"I will mummy. It is at home. When we get home I will read it to you. It will be my bedtime story but I will read to you."

"That sounds nice. What else happened?"

"Well when we were talking to him Sam and I told him we were going to get married when we are older because we have known each other since we were babies. He liked our stories a lot mummy and then he asked questions about where you worked. I told him that you and daddy work at Seattle Grace. You two fix people. I then told him that I am going to run Seattle Grace like Poppy does. He said I was ambitious. I didn't know what he meant by that but I thanked him."

"You are very ambitious." Meredith tells her.

"What does that mean?" She asked.

"Well it just means that you have high goals that you want to reach. You want to achieve success at a high spot, Chief of Surgery at Seattle Grace Hospital."

"Here you go." The boy says placing the boxes down on the table.

"Thank you."

"No worries."

Meredith opened the pizza boxes and they started to eat. Meredith helping Cooper.

"How was the rest of your day?"

"It was good. We spent most of the day with the president man. They even had special food there for the man and for the kids. It was fun talking to him and we then showed him our classroom and where we sat and some of our drawings and paintings."

The three of them ate their dinner and then decided to head home to get the kids into bed.

Cooper was asleep after his bath and his bottle and Meredith came and lay down beside Kaylee. She had her story of her life in her hands.

"Ready mummy?"

"Ready." Meredith says smiling.

The story of my life begins just over 5 years ago. I was born on the 1st of October 2010 at 2:03 pm. I wasn't born in a hospital like most of my classmates I was born at my daddy's land, in the hut. My Uncle at the time was 12 and he helped deliver me on my mummy's 18th birthday. I was also 3 weeks early that's why they didn't expect me to be delivered on her birthday. So my mummy and I share our birthday which is a kinda special thing. I was also born in 30 minutes and my daddy almost missed my birth. He got to see me take my first breath which is still a special thing for a first time dad. Though he always says that it was the fastest birth. I was soon taken to the hospital and I was named Kaylee Sofia Shepherd and welcomed into a loving family." Meredith took over reading for her because she was starting to struggle with the fatigue that overcame her.

"I lived with my mummy, daddy, my Uncle Jackson and Aunt Charlie when I was first born. I slept in the nursery that my mummy painted with Whinnie the Pooh on the wall and I was told that I used to be found just lying looking at the wall when I was a baby and looking and the bumble bees that boarded the wall. Mummy and Daddy were still finishing school when I was born and running Jackson and Charlie to and from school every day. They were busy parents and were making sure Jackson and Charlie had everything and the same love and attention that I was given. When I was first brought home Jackson sang me a song he wrote about me called Kaylee's song and Charlie was jealous because she wasn't the baby anymore. That's something that has seemed to happen in my family. My daddy was the same with his sisters and mummy was the same with Charlie and Jackson. So it was bound to happen when my baby brother was born when I was just shy of turning 4."

"My other family on my daddy's side consisted on nanna Carolyn and my 4 aunties. Kathleen, Nancy, Alice and Amelia. Kathleen is married to John and they have 3 kids. Braden, he is the oldest out of the cousins. Then there is Claire and then Lacey. They just moved to New York at the beginning of this year. Kathleen is a shrink and John works at a firm. Then my aunt Nancy is married to Tom. They have twins Conner and Caitlin, then Maddie and then baby Zack. They live in Seattle. Then my Aunt Alice. She moved to New York as well for Med school and for love. It's kind of romantic I think. Then there is my Aunt Amelia. She is still in school and she is the person I look up to the most. She is my role model. My Poppy Michael died the day before Braden was born. He didn't get to meet any of us but he would have loved us all."

"On my mummy's side there is her step dad, poppy Richard. He is a doctor at Seattle Grace. Then there is my uncle Jackson, he is in his last year of schooling and he is in a relationship with Jasmine. Jasmine has known me since I was a baby so she is an aunty to me. Well she will be when Jackson and her get married. Then my aunty Charlie. She is in her last year at primary school. Her mummy is hard to talk about. She died the day of my 3rd birthday and my mummy's 21st. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's after I was born. My Nanna was one of the greats in medicine. Ellis Grey was the one people wanted in their OR's because she was great. It was a loss to the medical community when she died. They lost a great surgeon and I lost a grandmother."

"With me growing day to day my family was changing as well. My Aunty Nancy was married when I was 2 months old and Jackson finally found his true love Jasmine. My mummy befriended a widow called Steph and her newborn son, Sam become my best friend and the one I am to marry. I think it may be true. My mummy and daddy started dating other people. Daddy went to Med school and mummy stayed home and watched me reach my milestones like my first steps at 11 months old and my first words of Mumma, Dada and Sam. My Nanna's Alzheimer's had gotten worse as well. She had a few good days left in her. One of these good days was my first birthday. It was a memory close to my mummy's heart and one she will never forget."

"On this day I was joined by my family. My Nanna Ellis and Poppy Richard stopped by for a few days. Her condition made mummy upset because she couldn't remember her name or my name. Though this day she held me and played with me and that is when she recognised me and she called me by my first name and said this, 'Kaylee Sofia Shepherd. You should be proud of who you came from. You are a beautiful girl. I will try and remember you gorgeous but if I don't then I apologise. I also apologise if I don't get to see you grow up and become a beautiful girl like your mother. Be extraordinary. If you don't remember me then do by this' she gave me a locket that had her name engraved in in and a picture of her face after that she wasn't lucid and didn't remember anyone anymore That was the last time she talked to me and recognised me. I look at the locket every day to see her face. I don't remember her but mummy tells me stories of her every day. I'm going to find a cure for her disease."

"Days went by. Daddy moved out of home and I got bigger and bigger. Mummy started med school as well. Sam's first word was Kay instead of mum and that made mummy and daddy laugh. Each day mummy came home from med school she told me what she had learnt and the day she does one of those procedures she will tell me. Daddy visited me every night to tuck me into bed and read my bedtime story. That was the ritual for the next 16 months. When I was 2 and a half daddy had proposed and they were planning a wedding for November that year. It made mummy sad to think that he was moving on. Mummy kept that brave face like she does every day and tells me everything will be alright. Even if she doesn't know. P.S. Mummy is the best mummy in the world. She knows things that other people don't know and we share secrets and pinkie promises that daddy doesn't know. She is the best mummy because she doesn't tell daddy."

"When it came to my mummy's and my birthday that year it was an emotional one especially for mummy. The day of our birthday Nanna Ellis was admitted to hospital and she was feeling confused about life. When we cut the cake I went home with Nanna Carolyn. Mummy stayed behind to celebrate her birthday. Her mother ended up dying that night. It made the night a downer. I saw her the next day and I held her tightly in my arms. She took me to the park that day and she promised me that we would take a trip together. She took me with her to Boston for the funeral with Uncle Jackson and Aunt Charlie. We came back and wedding preparations were going on for the wedding. I was going to be flower girl. The day of daddy's wedding came and it changed the life I would live. I always knew mummy and daddy should be together but this day I had another sense why. I was only 3 but you know these things at this age."

"We were heading to the church singing my lullaby song when a car ran into us. Mummy calmed me and daddy came running through the crowd. I don't know what happened but all I know is that daddy proposed to mummy because he loves her more. I also found out that I would have a new sibling. My mummy and daddy married 4 months later and 3 months after their marriage my baby brother was welcomed into the world. Cooper Isaac Shepherd. I didn't like him at first but after a while I started to love him because he is my baby brother. My daddy then became an intern. The next year my mummy was finishing up with med school. My baby brother was growing up and so was I. June last year my Aunty Nancy gave birth to Zack and Steph had triplets. The ABC's as mummy likes to call them. Alyssa, Bowen and Carleigh. Mummy and daddy had their honeymoon and we came with them to Hamilton Island. The rest is happening now. I go to school and then to ballet. Mummy is a doctor so is daddy. Cooper is getting bigger every day and is learning new words. I am now 5 years old and going to school. I hope the next 5 years brings as much joy and adventure." Meredith says to the now sleeping Kaylee.

"Goodnight baby. The next five years will be different for you. I can bet you that now." She says kissing her head.

**What'd you think? Let me know.**

**And like I said, reviews really push me to update sooner rather than later.**

**Next chapter is jam packed. Think the final episodes of season 2. I shall update soon.**


	88. Stop Saying You're Sorry

Meredith left Kaylee's room, closing the door behind her. Kaylee and Cooper were down for the night. Derek was at work and Amelia was at the hospital. It was going to be a quiet night. She walked into the nursery to check Cooper. He had always managed to turn in his sleep to face the other way and would wake in the middle of the night crying because he was confused at where he was.

He was still were she left him. He was tucked in and sound asleep. He looked so peaceful. After the day she had this is what made everything so much better. Her children made everything so much better.

She left the nursery and decided to take a bath and relax.

Drawing the bath she lit candles to make the room a sanctuary. Just before she climbed in the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"_Meredith, its Carolyn."_

"Hi Ma."

"_You alright?"_

Meredith swallowed the lump in her throat. Derek and her hadn't decided on what they were going to do about Amelia. "Yeah I am. It's just been a long day?"

"_I bet it has. How's Amy? Not causing you any trouble?"_

"She's fine." She lies. "No trouble at all."

"_That is good. Well I am just letting you know that I plan to be back mid-April. So during the holidays, do you think you can handle Amy for that much longer?"_

"Of course we can."

"_If she's causing you any trouble then let me know. I will be straight back to Seattle to sort it all out because Derek and you don't need the stress. You are working long hours and are looking after the kids. So let me know."_

"Alright." She says.

"_Ok, I better be off. Goodnight Mer. I will talk to you soon."_

"Of course. Bye Ma." She says hanging up.

She then goes to the bathroom to undress and climb into the bath when her pager sounds.

"You have got to be kidding me." She says. "911. Cristina."

She grabs her phone and dials Cristina's number.

"_Mer, where are you?"_

"At home. Why do you sound so panicked? What's going on?"

"_Everything is going wrong. Burke's been shot. Izzie's gone crazy. People are everywhere. Teenagers are filling the ER."_

"What do you mean, Burke's got shot?"

"_That guy you shot up that restaurant came and shot one of the workers and Burke as well. Your husband is in the OR helping Nelson."_

"What's going on with Izzie?"

"_It's to do with Denny. You should get down here."_

"I can't. The kids are asleep. I don't want to wake them."

"_What about Amelia?"_

"She's at the hospital."

"_Why?"_

"A very long story. If you have a chance can you check on her please?"

"_Only if you tell me what she did?"_

"She overdosed on prescription meds. She had a cocktail of drugs and then crashed the car with Kaylee in it. Well we think it was just the prescription medications. We found other stuff in her bag as well."

"_Is Kaylee alright?"_

"She's fine. Not a mark on her."

The line goes silent.

"_Mer, tonight is the night we need you here. I can't think straight."_

"I'll see what I can do. I'll get my brother to come and babysit because I don't want to move my kids. I'm not making any promises."

"_Good. Hurry please." She says hanging up._

It was a Thursday night, so she was hoping Jackson could come by and watch the kids. She called Jackson's phone and blew out the candles while she waited.

"_Hello?"_

"Jackson. I need a favour. A huge favour. Are you busy?"

"_I just got home from work. What is it?"_

"I've been paged into the hospital. Derek is there as well. I don't want to wake the kids either. Can you come and watch them please?"

"_What about Amelia?"_

"That's a long story. I will tell you about it later. So can you please come and watch the kids?"

"_I'll be there in 10. Should I bring my school stuff for in the morning?"_

"Yeah you better."

"_I'm on my way. I'll bring Charlie with me as well. Bye." _

"Thank you." She says hanging up.

She goes and dresses and grabs a few things and waits for Jackson.

She walks into Kaylee's room and kneels beside her.

"Hey baby girl. I have to pop over to work. I wish I didn't have to. Jackson and Charlie are coming to watch you. I will be home as soon as I can. Aunt Cristina needs me. You know what she is like. Now sweet dreams. I love you so much. You were so close to being hurt today it makes my heartache. Now sleep tight and I will see you in the morning baby girl. Look after Cooper as well."

She kisses Kaylee's head and tucks her in before making her way downstairs to wait for Jackson and Charlie.

They both walk through the door.

"Thank you so much. You don't know how much this means to me."

"What is family for?" He says with a smile.

"Now they should be down for the night. There is a bottle in the fridge if Coop wakes up. You know the drill anyway. Now I have to go. I will be back as soon as I can and go to bed if you want." She says handing him the baby monitor. "I will be back as soon as I can and just tell Kay that I needed to save a little girls life. She likes when I go and do that and that's the only way she doesn't get upset. See you soon and don't sit up too late."

Meredith left the house and drove to the hospital. She changed into her scrubs and went to Denny's room to see the end of the world unfolding.

"What is going on in here?"

"She cut his LVAD wires!" George says.

"What do you mean, you cut his LVAD wires." Meredith asks. "Are you trying to kill him?"

"I'm trying to save him. All I have to do is confirm that his condition is worse, then Burke can call UNOS and he'll move up the list and get his heart."

"About Burke…."

"She's gone insane."

"About Burke."

"It will be fine!"

"Izzie!"

"When Burke gets here, everything will be fine; he will know what to do."

"About Burke…"

"What?"

"He's been shot!"

"Burke's not coming?"

"Are you OK? I kind of forgot to ask?" Meredith asks.

"I'm fine. I'm fine."

"He's not coming?"

"Why didn't I take the internship in San Diego? This would not be happening."

"Why did I come here tonight? I could be watching my kids." Meredith mutters.

"Burke's not coming!"

"No, Izzie. Burke is not coming. I know you have problems here with possible murder charges and your stupid idea to steal a heart, but Burke's kind of busy right now!"

"Denny's going to die. Denny's going to die and I killed him."

"You shouldn't have done it! We must tell someone."

"George! No Denny won't get the heart and Izzie'll get kicked out of the program."

"I'm leaving. Burke could die, too."

"Cristina."

"Complications arise all the time because of gunshot wounds! You think about that."

"Oh, god."

"None of this would have happened if you were thinking with your head…"

"I did what I thought was best!"

Meredith had had enough. They were all yelling and screaming at each other all about rules and thinking. She didn't have to be here. She could walk out the door and go home. She could slip out the door and leave them.

But she wouldn't. Because they were her family.

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" She says. "No one is leaving. And no one is dying. I don't have to be here. I really don't have to be. So shut up because I will leave."

"Thank you." Denny says. "It was kind of getting on my nerves, all this dying talk."

"Denny."

"It's ok. I think, maybe we should listen to Meredith. It looks like she might have a plan."

"You have a plan?"

"Just give me a minute." She says pacing backwards and forwards.

"That's a stupid plan!" George says after she told them her plan.

"If Burke isn't coming, then we have to confirm Denny's condition ourselves. We get the blood work. We do the echo and no one even has to know what Izzie did."

"That's a stupid idea." George says.

"Well I'm walking out those doors then."

"None of us have done an echo."

"Cristina has. Burke taught her."

"I'm not involved."

"What if this were Burke? What if you were me?"

"This is bad. This is serious and against a lot of rules. It's not fun for me."

"What if you were me?"

"I wouldn't fall for a patient."

"You fell for an attending."

"What's the point?"

"We can't help who you fall in love with." Meredith says. "I've been there. Many times. You can't help it."

"Yeah."  
…

Her head was pounding. They were yelling at each other and it really was getting on her nerves. All she wanted was a soak in the bath. Her husband and a good night's rest and to read her mother's journal.

She had to call Alex and let him no.

"_His been shot? Dude." He says._

"We're going to have to run these tests ourselves."

"_UNOS gave us an hour. In two minutes, our time is up. This chick is hard-core. She's not going to wait."_

"Ok. You just have to stall her."

"_I'm not getting involved in this. I don't care if that bedridden whiner gets a heart."_

"Alex. Do this. For Izzie."

"_I'm not guaranteeing anything."_

She hung up the phone and looked at the mess falling apart. She wanted out as well.

"He said marry me? He said marry me, right?"

"He did."

"Denny. Wake up. Denny!" Izzie says just before the machines start beeping.

"What's happening?" George asks.

"I'm pumping harder. I don't know."

"He's flat lining!"

"He's not. There's movement in his heart. Ok, let's shock him."

"Charge the defibrillator."

"Ventilate." She says. "Charging to 200. Clear."

…

"Jackson, is Cooper alright?" Charlie asks over the crying.

"I don't know. He is developing a fever. Can you go down to the kitchen? You know where the medicine is. I'll give him some of that. If the fever doesn't go down fast. I'm calling Mer because she knows what needs to be done." Jackson says moving side to side, trying to calm Cooper.

Charlie leaves the nursery and Jackson looks down at him. "Hey buddy. It's ok. You will be ok. We'll get mummy for you. If that's who you really want."

"Mumma."

"Ok buddy. We'll get Mumma." He says to his nephew. "We'll get her for you."

…

"What do we do? What do we do?"

"I'm stating dopamine and dobutamine drips. Can we use those together?"

"I don't know."

"None of us do. Start dobutamine and dopamine."

"I feel like my chest is running away."

"His heart rate's 217."

"He's in SVT!"

"No, no. Izzie, stop pumping. Stop."

"No change."

"We need that medicine!"

"What medicine?"

"I'll know it when I see it."

"The one that stops the heart."

"The whole point is to keep my heart beating."

"It only stops it for 6 seconds."

"Adenosine!"

"His heart is speeding up! Guys!"

"We must do something! He can't take this much longer."

"Found it!"

"Cristina, come over here. Lift up his arm. It gets to the heart faster."

"Denny. You're going to feel…"

"Izzie!"

"It's ok. It just feels like…"

"I'm gonna die."

"You're not, I promise. It's the meds."

"Sure we used the right drugs?"

"The book said it was right."

"I used the one I know!"

"He's not gonna die, right?"

"You fools better have a good explanation for this." Dr Bailey says. "Step away from the patient."

Meredith, Cristina and George move away. Izzie stays pumping his heart.

"Step away from the patient!"

"I can't. I have to pump his heart."

"Oliva, take over for Dr Stevens. Izzie, you're done here. I need you to leave the room."

"Izzie…."

"No! Do not touch me!"

"Olivia, stay with Dr Stevens. Help her if she'll let you. You three. Outside. Now!"

They stepped outside waiting for the lecture.

"Where was rational thought? Where was cognitive thinking? First do no harm? The morals, the ethics? Where was sanity when you three decided to help that girl?"

"We didn't…"

"No speaking. I do not want to have to testify against you in a court of law. Not one word. She cut his LVAD wire."

George makes a noise.

"I said no speaking."

"I didn't!"

"Then no moving!"

Meredith looks to George and her phone rings.

Bailey glares her. Meredith takes her phone from her pocket and looks at the screen. _Jackson._

"I have to take this." She says moving away from the group. Much to Dr Bailey's pleasure. "Jackson, this is a real bad time."

"_His spiked a bad fever. He's not too well and he doesn't want me or Charlie, he wants you."_

"Ok, I'll be home as soon as I can. My resident isn't going to be happy."

"_You shouldn't care because it's your baby and a mother should put their child first rather than second."_

"I know. I'll be home as soon as I can. Bye Jackson. Try bathing him and then wrapping him in the shirt that I wore today. It's in the hamper."

Meredith hung up the phone and walked back to the group.

"You aren't leaving this hospital." Bailey says.

"I have to go. My son isn't too well and I am not leaving my brother to stay up all night with him. I'm putting my baby first. You should understand."

She just glared at Meredith again. "Fine. But you better be back here in an hour, no later. You are not getting out of punishment because you have a baby."

Meredith turned on her heel.

"Grey, I mean it!"

Meredith rushed to grab her things and to get home. She ran inside and could hear crying. She followed the cries to get to her baby boy. She found Jackson and Charlie trying to bath him.

"Have you given him medicine?"

"Yeah we did. Nearly an hour ago."

"Ok. Here let me take over. It's late and you have school tomorrow."

"You don't have to do it by yourself?" Jackson says.

"I'm a mother and I have done this by myself so many times. Go to bed. Enjoy your childhood." She says. "I have to go back to the hospital. So I'll take him with me."

"Ok. Night Mer."

Meredith laid him in the bath and bathed him. His crying didn't cease. She pulled him from the bath. Carried him to her room and dried him off. She put him in her undershirt she was wearing and wrapped him in it. She diapered his bottom and then made a bag up to take to the hospital.

"Come on, you're gonna come with mummy and listen to the lectures that are going to come."

She left the house and put him in his car seat with his bottle and his silk blanket that he has to sleep with. It was his second comfort when he was going to sleep. It was like a kid's pacifier or a teddy bear.

She drove to the hospital and his crying stopped as he drank from his bottle. She had her fingers crossed that he stayed asleep. Pulling up in the car park she was going to be late no matter what. So she sat for a few extra moments just trying to understand what was going to happen. She climbed from the car and took Cooper out carefully. She wrapped his silky over his back and carried him inside the hospital to go and face the warpath.

"Grey you're late."

"I'm sorry."

"The others are in time out. Go and sit there until we come and find you."

So she found the others and sat down on the floor nursing Cooper.

"Bailey's treating us like children. We're not children. We shouldn't have to sit like we're on a time-out."

"It is a time-out. What we did is way in need of a time-out. We acted like children do to get a time-out."

"You realise we could get kicked out of the programme for this?"

"Not we. I did this. I did this. You're probably right. Maybe I should run. But I'd rather run towards somebody than running away."

"Yang? Nelson's asking for you." Richard says.

"For Burke's surgery?"

"Yes. Hurry up."

"I can't. I'm… I'm in a time out."

"Time-out's over. Right now. Yang, we need you."

"He said may me, right? He did? That really happened?"

"It really happened."

"It really did."

"Screw this. I'm checking on Denny." She says leaving.

Meredith looked to George and then back down at Cooper.

All these unresolved feelings had come to light recently. It had put a strain to their friendship. Even a bit of a strain to Derek and Meredith's marriage. Not too bad but he still couldn't believe what happened.

George after a drunken night out kissed her and said that he had always had feelings for her and that she had deserved someone to treat her right all those times Derek left her. She was a little tipsy herself and didn't realise what he had meant until he tried to kiss her and Meredith moved away. Since then it had been very awkward being with him and he was mad at the world. She was married so she didn't know what the problem was. When she told Derek about the liking part he laughed but she kept the kiss a secret but he found out and was mad a George more than anything. All she could say was she was sorry.

"Thank you. For calling me about Izzie."

"I didn't do you any favours. You're stuck here with your 20 month old and your siblings are watching your daughter at home."

"Well, it meant something that you called. It meant something to me."

"It didn't mean anything."

"Right. Ok. Sorry."

"Stop saying you're sorry!" He yells.

Meredith jumped and looked down at Cooper whose eyes shot open and his face screwed up and he started crying.

George realised what he had done.

Meredith stood up and rocked from side to side trying to settle her baby boy

"You want to know something? I knew. I knew that you are married. That night I just wanted to forget and pretend that you weren't my married friend with the kids. I just wanted to see what one kiss could have been like between us two because I had fantasies and dreams since I was 14 years old about you. I knew you were married and I still let it happen because my one wish was to spend a night with Meredith Grey. One night with you was better than never. So will you just stop saying you're sorry… because it was me and you didn't know any better. But I did. I really did. And… I'm sorry."

Meredith looked up into his eyes and he was upset.

"I'm sorry, Meredith." He says before sitting back down.

Meredith felt her knees go to jelly and she fell back down to the ground with Cooper asleep again and just found her eyes on George and those words repeating through her head at what he just told her. She could barely recall anything or anyone that passed her.

"Meredith?"

**Sorry for the cliff-hanger there. These chapters are just action packed and filled with a lot of drama. So who do you think it is?**

**Let me know your thoughts. I want to try and constantly update because of the stuff I am writing now. The exciting stuff. **

**I'll try and have an update in a few days. **


	89. May I Have The Next Dance?

"_Meredith?"_

She looked up to find her step aunt, Jocelyn there. She was so hoping she just didn't hear that whole conversation because she didn't like Meredith much as it was. She never approved of anything and especially when Meredith fell pregnant with Kaylee she just stopped talking to Meredith because Meredith brought the family to a disgrace.

"Hi. What are you doing here?"

"Well Nicki has been admitted. There was an accident at prom and she has been admitted."

"Is she all right?"

"You haven't spoken to her in 6 years and you're asking if your cousin is alright?"

"Yes I am."

"You don't have any rights asking about her anyway. You're not even family."

"So what. We are family no matter what. This is not the time and place to discuss this issue anyway." Meredith says. "I work here and it's unprofessional."

"You really want to talk about that? Really? You have a baby in your arms."

"Well I am not talking about it right now. If you have something nice to say then talk to Richard."

Meredith stood up to leave. She couldn't face her right now.

"Where do you think you're going?" She hears.

She turns around and sees Bailey with Alex, Izzie and Cristina at her sides.

"I'm guessing nowhere now."

"You 5 come with me." Bailey says.

She marches them down to Richard's office and they are lined up side by side. Standing in front of him like they are getting into trouble with the principal. This bought back fond memories from year 7 when they were caught lighting the gas taps but now this wasn't the time.

"I cut the LVAD wire." Izzie says.

"Actually, I cut the LVAD wire." Meredith says.

"No. I did it." George says. "I'm the one who cut the wire." He says with a nudge to Cristina.

"Fine. I cut the LVAD wire." She says.

"I didn't do anything. I'm totally innocent."

"Alex!"

"That's not the point."

"I wasn't there."

"People! I know who did this. So, you might as well come clean. I know."

"With all due respect sir, if you knew, you wouldn't be asking."

"I did what…."

"You have your suspicions, but you don't know."

"Not for sure."

"You can't do anything to us without proof, sir."

"Well, one of you compromised a patient's life. One of you stole an organ. One of you jeopardized the integrity of this hospital and of UNOS. Now you tell me, and you tell me right now!" He says causing silence. "All right, fine."

The five turn to leave when he speaks.

"No surgeries."

"Sir."

"No one scrubs in, or watches from the gallery or so much as goes near the OR floor. Until somebody confesses, the five of you will share a single patient: Nicole Collins. Whatever she wants the five of you will provide it! Now, get the hell out of my sight."

From living with Richard for most of her life she had never seen him this mad. His eyes were fuming. She looked at him and then left the room.

"We can do this, Nicole Collins is a kid with cancer. So we give her what she wants. How hard can that be?"

"Harder than you think." Bailey says walking up to them. "This is Claire and Natalie. Nicole Collins' friends."

"Her very best friends in the whole wide world."

"Girls who exactly is Nicole Collins?"

"Like the Chief of Surgery's niece."

"And girls, what does the Chief of surgery's niece want, exactly?"

"Like a prom."

No. Like the best prom ever."

"We need a theme."

"Theme…"

"Can we have sparkly lights? Because sparkly lights are amazing!"

"I didn't like teenage girls when I was a teenage girl."

"It wasn't us it was the preppy April Kepner type of girls."

"You just mentioned her name?"

"Yeah. Well we still did go to prom. I don't know why?"

"Because Izzie made us go."

"Yeah that's right. I was pregnant during the Spring Dance. Just before holidays. I was very pregnant."

"At least you had an excuse. During our year 12 prom my date barfed on my dress and then tried to feel me up."

"Oh I remember that one now."

Meredith smiled and then saw Derek walk towards her. Cooper had spent the whole time with Meredith.

"There is my boy." He says taking him. "How is he feeling?"

"He's a lot better. He's been sleeping since about 1."

"Okay. Well I'll take him home then. Check to make sure they got to school and grab some clean clothes. I'll then go and check Amy."

"Just keep him with me. He is pretty happy with me."

"Okay. Well I'll come back soon." He kisses her check and hands Cooper back to her. "We need to talk about her as well."

"I know."

She walked off to talk to Patricia and to pop in and see Amelia. She didn't know what to say to her at this moment.

"Morning Amelia." She says.

"Hi."

"How are you?"

"I'm waiting for my mother to walk through that door and kill me. I'm waiting for my brother to yell some more. I'm just waiting for my sisters to come in one by one and ask how I could be so stupid." She says and then turns to Meredith. "I'm waiting for you to yell as well."

"I'm not going to yell. I could do with some yelling because of what has happened with you and some other things and Cooper being sick. I could yell but I'm not going to."

They went quiet for a few moments.

"Have you and Derek decided what you are going to do?"

"Not yet. I have barely seen him to talk to him. His gone home to grab some things but he is coming back to speak to you. So be prepared."

"Yeah I know." She says.

"You look tired."

"Yeah I couldn't sleep."

"Well you need rest. Just close your eyes and rest. Even if it is for 5 minutes you will feel better. I promise you."

"Mer I'm scared."

"Don't be sweetie. Nothing will happen. You are safe now. So close your eyes and rest." Meredith says moving closer to her bed and ran her hand over her cheek. "Just shut your eyes Amelia. Everything will be better. I promise."

Amelia closed her eyes and found herself fast asleep. Meredith left her room quietly to go and help prepare for the prom. Cooper was looking a lot better and wanted to walk beside his mum. Her mind was running at a million miles an hour. So much had happened and so much more was going to happen. She could sense it.

Her and Cooper walked around a corner and she crashed into Jocelyn. Meredith went to keep walking but she stopped her.

"Meredith wait. We got off on the wrong foot before. I am just stressed out about Nicole. I would like to sit down and have a coffee with you and maybe chat about everything that has happened in the last 6 years."

"Yeah sure. I'm free now."

"Good. The cafeteria?"

"Of course."

Jocelyn led the way.

"Come on Coop." She says picking him up into her arms.

Sitting at the table. Jocelyn stared at her. Meredith stirred the sugar in her coffee. She had been doing it for the last 5 minutes.

"Meredith." She says. "You can look at me. I'm not the wicked witch of the West. I was just protecting my family. I was doing what I was told to do."

"What?"

"When you were pregnant I was told to just distance myself from you. I was told to not help you out. I was told to never speak to you again because you got yourself into that mess and you were the one to deal with it yourself. It was so wrong doing that. I mean you were a child and I just distanced my family from you. I believed them and never spoke to you again. I should have spoken to you and seen how you were doing. I mean when you are 17 and pregnant, that's hard. Everyone just stops caring and leaves you to raise your child. You were raising Jackson and Charlie as well. I don't know what we were thinking. We were animals the way we just left you." She says. "We were animals the way we behaved."

Meredith was shocked. Her parents drove her family away.

"But look at you now. You are grown up. You work here. You have another child. You grew up well. You're mother thought you were going to breakdown and have the baby taken away from you so they didn't have to deal with a baby but they were cruel to think of something like that." She says. "I mean how old is that baby now?"

"She is 5."

"I bet she is beautiful."

"She is gorgeous." She says.

"DR Grey. DR Webber will see you now." Patricia says.

"Ok." Meredith says turning to Jocelyn. "I have to go. I will see you around."

Meredith stood up and followed Patricia down to his office.

"Meredith take a seat."

She took a seat, with Cooper on her lap. She was so mad right now.

"Meredith, you are my daughter. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you did not cut those LVAD wires. Meredith, I need you to tell me who did it."

"I've been going over and over this in my mind trying to piece this together." He just nods his head. "It was my mother. She was the reason I was kicked out of home at 17. And it wasn't just her; she tricked you into doing it. She tricked you into because she didn't want a bad name. She tricked you into believing that this was for the best. She tricked you into believing that I was better off alone with no family. It was you who just had to agree. You acted as though you didn't. You acted like the good guy and the guy who really was looking out for me but you were two faced into really believing my mother's words to say that if she was kicked out from home she would have a mental breakdown and her baby would be taken. How could you believe her? Kaylee was the best thing to happen and you believed her. You agreed with her because she is your wife. You could have spent so much more time with Kaylee. She is a gorgeous girl and you believed her words and wasted all this time. You could have watched us grow up but you left to what her words were meaning that her daughters little girl should be taken away." She says. "Let's face it my mother? She was a persuasive person. You never regretted those words. You never looked back. Right?"

Richard looks at her and then looks away. Her father really was doing this to her. She stood to leave and got to the door when he spoke those words.

"Your mother didn't let me have a say. I tried to speak up but she never let me have a say. I would have loved to see you every day. I would have loved to see your growing baby bump and to help you out with Charlie and Jackson. I would have loved to be there but I had no choice. That's why I went behind her back and set up a fund for you and gave you the house. I had to be two faced because it is what your mother wanted. She did seem cruel but I think she was really sick at that time when we found out. Kaylee is a gorgeous girl. I will never deny that. You mother when she really saw the true beauty of Kaylee and how well you were doing she regretted it. She really did. If you don't believe me then read her last journal entry, you'll find out. Yeah I may be the bad guy here but I wanted to stay and watch your first experience. Believe me Meredith."

Meredith stood and turned around to face him. She then turned back and left the room she wanted to go home. She thought it was alright. They weren't tending any other duties so she was going to go home and organise herself for tonight, she didn't have long. She rounded the corner tears falling from her eyes and ran into Derek.

"Mer, what's up?" He asks taking Cooper.

"Can we talk about it later?"

"Are you going home?"

She nodded her head.

"Ok let me come with you then."

"Don't you have to see Amelia?"

"I went by her room. She was sleeping. She looked to peaceful to disturb." He says. "Come on let's get your things from you locker and we can go home and you can have a nice bubble bath and tell me what happened?" He says pulling her into his chest.

She nodded her head against his chest and he escorted her to her locker room and grabbed her gear and then escorted her to the car. She sat silently with tears in her eyes. Cooper had fallen asleep with his silky in his hands.

"They got to school on time. They were gone by the time I got home."

"That is good."

"They left a note as well. They will drop Kaylee home this afternoon for us."

"Ok."

He pulled into the driveway and she got out of the car, taking Cooper with her to put to bed. Derek carried the bags inside and went upstairs drawing her a bath. He leaned up against the door frame watching her.

"Do you want to go to prom with me?" He asks.

She looks up smiling.

"Is that a yes?"

"Well I was going to take this person called Cooper."

"Really?"

"Yes I was."

"Does he have a tux as nice as mine?"

"Yes he does."

She moves past him and goes and undresses and climbs into the bath. He goes and sits beside her.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?"

She looks ahead and not at him.

"Just so much has happened. Amelia. The LVAD thing. My aunt and cousin are at the hospital. I've been told so many things. George." She says looking at him. "Just everything has happened."

She could see the hurt on his face when she mentioned George.

"Just everything Derek has seemed to happen and build up in the past 2 days."

"I know Mer. I know what you mean. My accident has brought a lot of stress to this."

"So tonight do you want to just have fun? Maybe let the kids dance around with us all then we can spend the night together dancing and enjoying prom and not around a huge baby bump."

She giggled. "Of course. I would like to go to prom with you and dance around but no conceiving a baby like some people did."

"Deal."

The phone to the house rang.

"I'll get that." He says.

Meredith rested her head back and closed her eyes. She opened them again when Derek walked back into the bathroom.

"Who was that?"

"The school."

"Amelia's or Kaylee's?"

"Amelia's. They want to have a meeting with us tomorrow."

"What time?"

"12."

"Ok. I guess we can be there."

"We'll just have to speak with Richard. I'm sure he will give us the time to go and speak to them."

"What are we going to do about your Mum?"

"I don't know. I honestly have no idea."

The front door closed and footsteps were heard coming up the stairs.

"Kay's home."

"Mummy, daddy. I'm home." She yells.

"We're in here Kay." Derek says.

She comes barging in and wraps her arms around Derek.

"Hi daddy."

"Hi baby girl. How was school?"

"It was good." She says. "Why are you home though? You usually don't finish until 5."

"Well we have a prom to attend to tonight. So poppy let us come home and get ready for that."

"Does that mean you get to get dressed up?"

"Yes we do. And we decided that you can come for a little while and see everyone."

The smile on her face spread wider.

"I'm going to go and find a pretty dress to wear." She says running out of the room.

"I'll go and see Jackson and Charlie." Derek says walking out smiling.

…

It was just before 6. Derek was waiting downstairs with Cooper and the kids bag for the crèche. They were waiting for Meredith and Kaylee to gracefully walk down the stairs all dressed up for prom. Derek had managed to drive out and buy to corsages. One for Kaylee and one for Meredith.

They were now waiting patiently for them.

"You ready Coop? You're going to walk up to mummy and give her the corsage and I'll walk to Kaylee and give her hers."

He smiled and wiggled to get down. Derek held his hand and then they caught sight of Kaylee and Meredith walking down the stairs. Derek was blown away at how beautiful Meredith looked. It was so rare to see her dress up. Then to see his little girl basking in the opportunity to dress up and have her hair done nicely.

They reached the bottom of the stairs and Kaylee was smiling. Cooper walked up to Meredith and held his hand up. The one with the corsage in it. Derek walked to Kaylee and bent down.

"You look beautiful Kaylee." He says slipping the corsage onto her hand and kissing her hand.

"Thank you daddy."

"Oh Cooper you are sweet." She says kissing his head.

Derek stood up just as Meredith looked at him. He was smiling. He closed the gap between them and kissed her lips softly.

"You look beautiful Mer."

She smiled as they pulled away.

"Are we ready to go?" He asks.

"Yes daddy."

"Ok Kaylee you're my partner." Derek says grabbing her hand.

Meredith picks Cooper up and the family drive to the hospital.

Walking through the hospital they received some stares but they didn't mind because they were letting their kids join in on the fun. They took the stairs and reached the dance floor.

"May I have the next dance?" Derek asks Kaylee.

"Of course daddy. You don't have to ask."

"Yes I do. A gentleman always asks." He says leading her to the floor.

Meredith looks at Cooper and carries him to the floor to stand beside Derek and Kaylee. She keeps him on her hip and dances with him.

Derek and Meredith smile at each other. The kids were having a ball and they were making them smile again.

"Meredith." She hears.

She turns to see Nicole.

"Hi Nic. I would like you to meet, Derek, Kaylee and Cooper."

"Hi. Wow look at your corsage sweetie." She says bending down to Kaylee.

"My daddy got it for me."

"He is a great guy isn't he?"

"He sure is."

"I'll see you around Mer."

"Ok Nic."

She left the family to enjoy their family time. Cooper was getting tired and Kaylee was complaining about sore feet after being there for nearly an hour. Meredith carried them to the crèche and changed them before making her way back down to the floor to look for Derek.

"May I have the next dance?" She hears.

She turns to see him leaning against the stairs railing and she smiles. He was looking more handsome. Maybe because she was so used to seeing him in scrubs. He always ceased to amaze her how beautiful and handsome he could be.

**What'd you all think? Let me know. **

**I know I have been terrible at updating but I just haven't had the time. And I know that this finished quickly, part two I will have up after my exams.**

**And then I will hopefully get back to quicker updates and more writing.**


	90. Find Other Ways

"You don't even have to ask." She says in a seductive way.

"So I don't have to ask to do this?" He asks leaning in kissing her tenderly.

"No."

"Ok what about if I do this?" He asks kissing her neck.

"No." She says getting breathless.

"Ok what about this?" He asks running his hand down her chest to her thighs.

"Come on." She says taking his hand and leaving the room.

He follows her down an empty hallway.

"Meredith." He calls out after her.

She finds a room and goes into the room. Standing behind the exam chair. She stands there smiling. He stands on the other side smiling as well.

"Do you really want to do it now? Here?" He asks.

"Hey we need another place to Christen at this hospital." She says. Making him move to her. "But before we do so I need to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"You realise that if anything happened between us. Good or bad. I am not leaving you. If someone steps in our way I'm not leaving. I'm not running no matter what. I love you and I made vows to you. You were one of the only people who didn't leave my side before we had Kaylee. You stayed with me through everything and that is something that I will never forget. If a sea comes between us I will wait for you Derek. I will always wait for you."

He felt a smile pry on his lips and he crashed his lips onto hers.

…

"Where are my panties?" She asks.

Derek just smiles.

"Derek I'm serious. Give me my panties and fix your tie."

"I will maybe later."

The door burst open and Callie popped her head in.

"The nurse told me to come and find you. You have to come now. It's Izzie."

Meredith leaves the room with Callie. Derek fixes his tie and follows them.

"I didn't know what to do. I didn't think you guys would want me to go to the Chief…"

"Where is she?"

"She's in there with him."

Meredith grabbed Derek's hand for support and walked into the room. The scene made her heart melt. Izzie clutching to her dead fiancé. She felt her knees go weak and leaned back into Derek who held her arms, to support her from falling down at what she say.

"Izzie."

"I think it was a stroke. He was prone to blood clots. A clot could have formed on his sutures and travelled to his brain. It only takes a second.

"Iz." Meredith says.

"Dr Hahn did a beautiful job on the surgery. But I don't know why I didn't think of blood clots. He died all alone. He was alone."

"There was nothing you could have done."

"I changed my dress three times." She said. "I wanted to look nice. I would have been here sooner but I couldn't think of which dress to wear."

"Izzie." George says getting closer to her. "We shouldn't be in here."

"Iz there are things they need to… They need to move him." Mer says.

"Take him to the morgue."

"You can't stay here. I know you want to."

"Can you please just get out?" She says. "I want to be alone with Denny."

"Izzie that's not Denny." Alex says as he moves into the room.

"Shut up."

"Iz, that's not Denny. The minute his heart stopped beating he stopped being Denny. Now I know you love him but he also loved you. A guy who loves you like that doesn't want you to do this to yourself. Because it's not Denny. Not anymore." Alex says.

"An hour ago he was proposing. And now… Now his going to the morgue. Isn't that ridiculous. Isn't that the most ridiculous piece of crap you ever heard?" She says crying. Alex lent down and picked her up and sat down with her.

Meredith now was heartbroken. Derek's arm came to the nape of her neck and squeezed it just to remind her that he was still there.

He led her from the room and she fell into his chest crying. He held her waiting for to stop crying.

"Isn't that ridiculous." She says.

"Yeah it is." He says. "It really is."

He grabbed a hold of her hand and watched Izzie leave the room with Alex and George. The two followed behind down to the floor with our heads down.

Richard was standing with Dr Bailey and Dr Roach.

"It was me. I cut his LVAD wire and no one helped me." She confesses to the Chief. "And now… I thought I was a surgeon… I can't. I thought I was a surgeon but I'm not. So I quit." She says turning and leaving.

"Izzie." Dr Bailey says after her.

The boys followed her down the stairs to hopefully take her home and look after her.

"I guess that puts an end to the evening." Dr Roach says.

"Yeah." Derek mumbles.

"Yeah I guess it does." Richard says leaving.

"Come on let's go home." Derek says to her, grabbing her hand and leading her to the crèche.

They drove home with Kaylee and Cooper asleep in the backseat. Derek carried Kaylee and sat her corsage on her bedside table. He kissed her head and then pulled the blankets tight around her.

"Night my baby girl."

He leaves her room shutting her door and moving to change his clothes. He sees Meredith sitting on the bed. Still in her dress.

"Mer are you going to change?"

She just doesn't say anything.

"Are you ok?" He asks her sitting down beside her.

"Yeah." She says. "I'm fine."

"Ok but you don't seem fine." He says kissing her forehead and moving to the bathroom to brush his teeth.

He heard a noise from the bedroom; he left the bathroom and saw her rummaging through the box of her mother's journals.

"What are you looking for?"

"Her last journal." She says. "Found it."

"What year is this one from?"

"2010. This covers the whole year."

"So you're skipping 15 years?"

"I need to read this one to understand what Richard was talking about."

"Is this about your meeting with him?"

"Yeah. The ones from this morning."

"What exactly happened?"

"I will explain it to you later when I realise what he meant."

She flicked through the journal to find her last letter. The letter Richard had mentioned to her.

"Found it." She says.

Derek sits beside her and looks at the scrawl written on the pages.

_Dear Meredith. I'm writing this because this is my last entry and I need to say what is on my mind. I may ramble on but that is just so you understand. I just arrived home from my visit to Seattle. You now know that I have Alzheimer's. I have finally seen your baby girl. My first granddaughter. Kaylee Sofia Shepherd. She is gorgeous Meredith. I mean she is absolutely gorgeous. I am so proud of you bringing this beautiful creature into the world. I have to be honest about everything Meredith. Honest about the past 12 months. Seeing Kaylee made me realise how stupid and mean I was to do such a thing. I was a monster for turning our family on you. I was a monster for making them never speak to you. What was I thinking? I mean I kick my daughter out of home because she is pregnant at 17. I kick her out to fend for herself because I want her baby to be taken away. How could I think of such a terrible thing? Seeing your baby girl today I realised why on earth did I do that to you. I am really thinking that it was the Alzheimer's. I think I was sick at that point. I am not going to use the sickness as an excuse because it isn't a very good excuse. Nothing I say will make anything better. We have never been on good terms and I have treated you a way no one should be treated. Family should stick by each other no matter what situation you are in. Family should stick by each other and not leave and move to the other side of the country. I'm going to say sorry but no matter how many times I say it I know you won't forgive me._

_Of course I am still mad for you falling pregnant but you were going through a hard time. Derek was as well. How can I blame the two of you for being there for comfort? I wasn't there to comfort you. Your best friend was. Derek gets you so much more than I do. Derek is a great person and he is someone you should keep in your life. Even after all those times I kicked him out of the house and disapproved of your relationship he is still a great guy. The way he looks at you I know he loves you and he will be the one you spend the rest of your life with. You keep him Meredith because there isn't many Derek's around anymore. The ones who believe in magic and true love. Derek and you created a beautiful thing and you are both going to be great parents no matter what. Promise me that you will both be there for her. Make it to every school concert, to every dance recitals and every time she is feeling down. Promise me that because I don't want her going through what you did. Meredith promise me that you and Derek raise her well and love her every day. Parenthood is a stressful time and you and Derek could be fighting and yelling but remember what you have and be grateful at what you have been given. _

_And for Kaylee raise her however you want. She is yours and don't listen to what other people say. Just don't worry about what anyone in life thinks especially if you have a daughter at 18. Say that I made her from scratch and she is my little girl I am going to spend the rest of my life with loving until the end of time. Raise Kaylee to not care about others opinions. Don't let others get to her because she was born to parents at the age of 18. She needs to stand up and say 'no matter how old my mummy and daddy are they still love me. I am a product of love. No matter if I was born then or 5 years later it won't matter because they would bring me into the world. I am loved and that is all that matters' make sure she doesn't let the other kids get to her. Also tell her that I would love to see her grow everyday but remind her that I am sick and remind her who I am because I will have to be reminded everyday of who she is. Make sure you bring her to visit me because even if I don't recognise her I will like to sit and hold her. _

_Meredith I am not going to try and apologise because I won't be forgiven. I already know that but I am truly sorry for making your family turn their backs on you. It was a horrible thing I just wanted to punish you but I now realise that I was punishing you for nothing because you made a child with love and you will love this child every day. I am so sorry Meredith. I let you down. I let Derek down. I let Richard down. I let Jackson down. I let Charlie down. I let our family down but most of all I let Kaylee down. I will never forgive myself for what I done. But you are a strong girl so don't let me put your ability to stand up to people bring you down. Don't let your loving heart disappear and do care for those close to you. Learn by my mistakes and don't do what I did. Take a different path. I know you are thinking of becoming a doctor but if you want to be there for Kaylee you have to find a way to do it and not abandon her and your other children if you plan on having them._

_I have loved you Meredith even if I didn't show it. I am truly sorry. Terribly sorry. Live a beautiful life with Derek and Kaylee and just love everything you've got because it could all be gone tomorrow. _

Meredith couldn't form any words. She was blown away at what she had just read. She was blown away at what advice her mother had told her.

"Wow." Derek says from beside her.

"Yeah."

"So what exactly was that all about?" Derek asks looking straight at Meredith.

She barely heard what he said.

"Mer?"

"Um sorry…" She says. She shuts the journal and sits in beside her and turns to him. "When we fell pregnant with Kaylee do you know how most of my family stopped speaking to me? I mean all of my family did?"

He nods his head. "Yeah I do."

"Well mum told them to shun me because I was a disgrace. I was the teenager who was pregnant and no one wants anyone in their family to be pregnant at 17." She says. "My step aunt was at the hospital and we went and had a coffee. We haven't in 6 years. She told me the truth about why she just distanced herself. She was forced to not speak to me. All my aunts and uncles and cousins were forced to not speak with me. Jocelyn said that she was told that because I got into this mess I had to deal with it myself. She apologised for not being there. I was 17 and pregnant and left alone. She wished she didn't. My whole family lied to me. They were forced away. No one even speaks to me anymore. My stepfather does and my siblings. I have no family." She says crying.

"Hey Mer listen to me. You have family. The most important family in the world. Kaylee, Cooper and me. We are your family. We are all you need."

"Derek ,Kaylee and Cooper are going to grow without family."

"Who says they don't have any family. They have loving grandparents. Aunties, uncles and cousins. Meredith they have family." He says. "They have us. We are the most important people in their lives at this moment and it will be this way forever. We have the most important job in the world; to keep Kaylee and Cooper safe and let them grow to become healthy people. All you need is love and that's what makes family. When Kay and Coop get older they will have their own families. They will never be without family Mer." He says placing a kiss to her forehead.

"You promise?"

"I promise."

She looked at him with a smile and then frowned.

"What is it?" He asks.

"Amelia."

Derek's face drops and Cooper starts crying.

"I'll get him." She says.

She moves from the bed and to get Cooper from his crib. She carried him back with his silky and a new diaper.

"What are we going to do?" She asks lying Cooper down.

"I think we have to call Ma. I mean Mer her behaviour has become so erratic and crazy I don't know what to say to her. Ma does."

"She always has the answers. I kind of don't have the answers and the knowledge to say what needs to be said."

"Mer of course you have the answers. Ma has been a mother for nearly 30 years. You've been one for 6 years. The answers just come to you and expand when you experience these different things. You have to tools to answer the question but Amy isn't you daughter. We'll call her in the morning."

"Ok." Mer says doing Cooper's onesie back up and picking him up.

"Hey, it's for the best. Trust me." He says standing beside her. Placing a kiss on her forehead.

"I know."

"I'll go and get his bottle."

…

The house phone rang early the next morning. Derek reached over Meredith and answered.

"Hello?" He says sleepily. "Hi Ma. No you didn't. Yes Ma. I'm sure." He says. "Amy is still asleep. It's only early Ma." He says. "Can we call you back a little bit later? The kids are just waking up and we need to discuss something with you."

Meredith just looks at him. This was going to be it. Carolyn was going to find out.

"No Mer isn't pregnant. It's about something else. Bye Ma."

He hung up the phone and reached over her placing it on the dock and lying back to face her.

"What are we going to say to her?"

"The truth." He says.

"I hate telling the truth sometimes."

"Me too."

"Do we want to wait until later tonight because I have to go into work soon?"

"Yeah that's ok. I will have to go and see how Izzie is this morning anyway. George says she wasn't that good. She has been on the bathroom floor since they got home last night. She hasn't changed from her dress either. She isn't holding up too well."

"I bet she isn't. I would lie on the bathroom floor if you died Mer."

"Izzie cut his LVAD Derek. I know she wanted him to have the heart but she went crazy. I mean crazy. She stole and organ and she cut his LVAD. She didn't call a code or anything. We think it was a stroke that killed him but she still went crazy Derek." She says. "Would you lie on the bathroom floor if I died from an accident?"

"I would lie on the bathroom floor even if it was a car accident and not a cut LVAD." He says kissing her lips.

"I just hope you're not crazy enough to cut my LVAD."

"I would be in it to save your life. All for keeping my beautiful wife alive."

"Corny." She says smiling.

"Hey I bet you love it?"

She just giggles to herself.

"Hey Derek."

"Yeah?"

"Where are my panties?" She asks.

"Oh. You only just remembered?"

"Yeah. Well we were naked most of the night last night."

"Well I am holding them hostage for a little while longer."

"And what exactly are you going to…" She says. "I can't finish that sentence." She says laughing. "I'm going for a shower."

"Are you going for a shower or a shower shower?"

"I was hoping for a shower shower."

"Coming right up." He says jumping out of bed and taking her to the shower.

…

"So when you get home are we going to call your mother and let her know about Amelia?"

"Yes we have to. Amelia is coming home tonight as well. So she can talk to her on the phone and explain everything."

"Do you think that's a good idea? I mean she has been in hospital, she's pretty fragile at the moment. It will be better for us to talk and then when Carolyn gets home Amelia can talk to her then."

Derek sits for a moment. She can tell he is thinking this through.

"We talk to Ma on the phone tonight. I expect her to be home by midday tomorrow and then Amelia faces the wrath of the Ma."

"OK." Meredith says sitting beside him and taking his hand into hers. "We don't intervene after Carolyn gets here. It's her and Amelia. We tell her everything on the phone tonight and then we don't say anything until it blows over."

"So no intervening. No intervening until they have time to cool off."

"Yes. It's a mother daughter thing not a whole family thing. She will be too embarrassed if it's our whole family."

He just smiled at her. "What would I do without you Mer? Like I am serious. What would I do?"

"I don't know Derek. You would have to find other ways to entertain yourself."

He just smirks at her and kisses her quickly.

"I have to get going Mer. I will call you later when I get the chance." He kisses her once more and stands up. "I love you so much."

"Derek I know you do." She says. "I love you too."

He leant down and kissed her again and then left smiling.

**What'd you guys all think. Let me know. **

**I shall update soon with the following chapter. Big decisions are being made. Big parenting decisions. They are growing up a lot.**


	91. Our Last Night On Earth

Meredith drove to George and Izzie's apartment with the kids the next morning. Alex met her at the door and led her down to the bathroom where Izzie had spent nearly 12 hours, lying on the bathroom floor.

"Thank you Meredith for coming." George says. "We don't know what to do."

"Izzie, Izzie come on." Alex says pounding on the door.

"Ok. She's been in there all night. We have to do something." George says.

"Yeah." Alex, George and Cristina say at the same time. Before looking at Meredith.

"Why are you all looking at me?

"This is familiar territory for you."

"There is nothing familiar about this. Unfamiliar. Denny died. The man she loves died."

"Yeah, but you're all dark and twisty inside."

"Dark and twisty?"

"The dead mother. The father you don't talk to. Becoming at mother at 18."

"The random hook ups with random men at the bathroom of pubs after the tequila thing."

"You are dark and twisty inside Meredith and now Izzie is dark and twisty."

"So all of a sudden I'm the president of People With Crappy Lives?" She says. "That was in my past. I don't do that anymore. I'm a mother."

"Well then you should understand. You're married. You've had a mother die. You have kids." Cristina says.

"Seriously, we have to do something." George says. "Someone has to go in there."

The four look between each other wondering who is going to go in here.

George walked in through the door.

"Mumma." Cooper calls out.

Meredith turns around and walks down to where the kids are playing.

"Yeah baby boy?"

"Where's my Thomas?"

"In the bag sweetie." She says pointing.

He goes rummaging through the bag and pulls out the toy.

"Found it Mumma." He says smiling.

"Good work Coopie."

"Mummy can I put the TV on?"

"Sure baby girl. Don't have it too loud though. Aunt Izzie isn't feeling too well."

"Ok mummy."

Cristina followed her into the kitchen and she pulled out bread and various other items.

"Why are we making sandwiches?"

"That's what you do when someone dies. You cook."

"I know what to do when someone dies, I am a Jew. I know food and death. It's Shiva."

"Is it Shiva even if she's Catholic?"

"Well, Shiva's what I know how to do, so yeah, it's Shiva. If we're sitting Shiva for Denny then we should order in. Making sandwiches is not the same as cooking."

"Sandwiches are comfort food." She says taking a bite.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Everything is fine. It's Izzie we're worried about."

"Oh what did you do?"

"Denny died, Burke got shot, Amelia nearly overdosed and died. Let's just have some perspective and remember what I did is a tiny, slightly small…"

"Whatever. Spit it out."

"I lost my panties last night."

…

"Back already?" Richard asks Derek.

"Yeah, I am. I wish I wasn't. We have so much going on."

"We'll I've been here all night. I wanted to see the autopsy on Duquette."

"That's where Meredith is now. I said I would be home soon."

"Are you free? Dr Shepherd, there's incomings and Nelson needs an assistant on his incoming trauma." Bailey asks. "The pit's overcrowded with early flu season."

…

"You and Derek had sex in an exam room at prom?"

"Yes."

"Last night? You and Shepherd. You and McDreamy did it in an exam room?"

"Yes."

"I seriously thought you two were a boring old married couple. I'm trying to wrap my mind around it. I mean during prom, a prom being held for your cousin, you snuck off, while Denny was dying and did it in an exam room because you two can't do it at home."

"We can. We are so busy. It's been a while and so much has happened. We needed that escape."

"Why couldn't the two of you do it in the bedroom? Have the mind blowing, earth shattering sex in the bedroom like normal people?"

"Because when you have kids it's kind of hard to have the loud sex."

"Are you two trying for a baby again?"

"No we're not. We are just a married couple who likes sex. It's one of the biggest aspects in our relationship."

"Whatever." She says.

…

"Nice work today, O'Malley. Is Meredith still at yours?"

"Yeah she is. I'm headed there now."

"Yeah me too."

"Oh, great. It's just… I don't know if Izzie's up for a lot of people."

"I'm going to go and see Meredith." He says opening the door to a man in a white suit.

"Dr Shepherd?"

"Yes."

"Dr O'Malley?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm with the IDC. Did you perform the surgery on Mrs Toussant?"

"Yes."

"She was in close contact with a victim of the plague. She may have been exposed."

"So we may have been."

"Yeah."

"I can't do this. I need to go to my family."

"We're waiting on the diagnosis of Mr Toussant. This room's sealed off until we know the threat's contained and you're safe."

"You're not saying…"

"You cannot leave. You two are quarantined."

…

"Kay, Coop come on lunch is ready."

Kaylee walked into the kitchen followed by Cooper.

"Is daddy coming over Mummy?"

"I don't know. I am waiting for him to call sweetie."

"I hope so, we didn't get our family dinner last night Mummy."

"I know sweetie. A lot happened yesterday. You got to dance with daddy though, was that fun?" She asks as she sits Cooper up in the chair.

"It was. It was nice dancing with daddy."

"Do you think he has two left feet?"

"Not with that type of dancing. When he dances silly around the house he does." She says biting into her sandwich.

"Daddy is just a goof sometimes sweetie."

"I know. It makes him fun to be around."

"Does Daddy like being a Daddy, Mummy?"

"Why do you ask that?" Meredith says stopping and looking at her daughter.

"I was just curious." She asks looking at her mother.

Meredith moves to her side and bends down.

"Your daddy loves you. He loves being a daddy. He loves loving a human he made from scratch. He loves everyday with you and Cooper. He loves being a daddy because he thinks it's the best job in the world. He doesn't regret becoming a daddy at 18 because as soon as I told him we were having a baby his life changed and he didn't regret it one bit. He read all the baby books he could get a hand on. He grabbed baby magazines and baby name books and read them and pestered me about names and the nursery. He just wanted his baby to hold and love and show off to the world."

"Mummy can you tell me something from your pregnancy with me. Like how you came up with my name."

Meredith smiles at her and sits down at the table.

"Well we were at the hospital because Uncle Jackson had been in that car accident a few days before. It was Easter and we went to the hospital with Chocolates, hot cross buns and different DVD's to watch. We brought Easter to him because he was stuck in hospital. We were lounging around watching Friends and I asked about Rachel for your name and daddy was like we can put it on the list. We realised that was our first name we had shared with each other. I asked him if he had any ideas and of course they were all boys' names."

Kaylee just laughs. "Boys always do that."

"I know right. Anyway daddy suggested Matthew, I thought it would be too popular. Then Edward, at that time people were hung up on a movie about vampires and werewolves, I decided no because people would have something to say otherwise. We said as maybe a middle name. Then I mentioned Cooper and we both looked at each other and we knew we loved that name. Cooper Shepherd. I mean it fits your brother perfectly. Jackson and Charlie both loved the name so we had our boy name."

"So you liked Cooper since I was in your stomach?"

"Yeah I did. If you were a boy you would be Cooper."

"I wouldn't want to be a boy Mummy."

"I know, being a girl is better." She says smiling. "No offence Coopie." Meredith says running her hand through his hair. "Then for the girls names we didn't have any in mind. We knew we had plenty of time but we asked Charlie and Jackson. Charlie suggested I think Sophie, Charlotte and Matilda. Charlotte was too close to Charlie but they were cute. Daddy liked them and we agreed this was going to be hard finding a name for our little girl. I threw in Scarlett and Alexis. Alexis would have made it an extra A. Then Jackson out of the blue said he had a name idea. We asked him what it was and he said Kaylee."

"Jackson chose my name?"

"He sure did. Daddy and I fell in love with the name. We had 4 and a half more months to go and we had our names. Kaylee and Cooper. And as soon as you came into the world we knew you were a Kaylee."

"I like my name very much mummy."

"I do too sweetie."

…

"We've been exposed to the plague." George says.

"They don't know it's the plague."

"So the men in the white suits, what, making a fashion statement?"

"No, it's precaution. When the blood work comes back we'll be out."

"What if the results come back and she has the plague? Well then we get the plague. Then we die in here? With the crappy benches and the dirty scrubs and the lockers full of old food?"

"People still stow food in their lockers?" He asks sitting up and going to the first locker. "I thought it was only our year that did that."

…

"I honestly don't know what to say to her." Meredith says washing up the dishes she used for lunch. Callie had come over to see how she was doing and cooking up a feast. "Everyone says I'm dark and twisty. I'm not dark and twisty. And if I am it's because I have the dead mother, the estranged father and I had my first child at 18 because my mother never cared."

"Mumma." Cooper says walking into the kitchen.

She picks him up and he holds his empty bottle out to her.

"I know I'm a teen mum but I don't see what that has to do with being dark and twisty." She says.

Callie just rolls her eyes. "You're not dark and twisty. You've just had a different upbringing. That's all."

"Still, a baby at 18. Didn't marry the father until he knocked me up until I got drunk and we fell into bed with each other 7 weeks before his wedding."

"Yeah that's just the whole effect of tequila on you. It brings out a different side to you."

She sits Cooper on the bench and fills his bottle up again and hands it to him and holds him.

"I better go and speak to Izzie."

"That would be a good idea." Callie says. "I'll watch him."

Meredith leaves and Callie turns to Cooper.

"Your mummy is a funny lady when it comes to getting drunk." She says smiling at him.

"Cal." He says.

"Yeah but she is still a great mummy."

"How are we doing?" Meredith says opening the bathroom door.

"We're still not taking off the dress and we don't want to discuss it."

"Stop with 'we'. Do not 'we' me."

"My kids need entertaining. Be the good friend and help Callie watch them."

"So Callie can watch them."

"Just go and help her."

Cristina leaves and her spot beside Izzie is occupied by Meredith.

"I don't know what to say to you." She confesses.

"I don't know what to say to me either. When your mother died… when she died… how did you feel?"

"It's not the same. She never loved me as much as she could. We grew apart. She was… she had Alzheimer's. I wanted her to die because this disease was going to tear our lives apart."

"But when she died, did you feel?"

"What?"

"Like you were moving in slow motion."

"She was sick for 3 years. She was going to get so much worse. It was better this way. She was gone; there is nothing that I could have done."

"I feel like I'm moving in slow motion. Like I'm moving in slow motion and everything around me is moving so fast and I just wanna go back… to when things were normal. When I wasn't poor Izzie lying on the floor in her prom dress with her… dead fiancé." She says with her lips trembling. "But I am. So I can't. And I'm… just stuck. And there's all this pressure because everyone is hovering waiting for me to do something or move or flip or cry or yell. And I'm happy to play my part. I'm happy to say and do whatever I'm supposed to be doing if it will make everyone feel comfortable. But I don't know… I don't know how to do this. I just don't know how to be this person. I don't know who this person is."

"Izzie."

"How did this happen? How did we end up here? Why am I alone? Where's Denny?"

"You're not alone Iz." She says grasping Izzie's hand with a lone tear falling down her cheek. "You're not alone Iz. You have so many friends outside this door supporting you Iz. You'll never be alone."

…

"There are moments O'Malley, so overwhelming, all of a sudden, in a split second, your life changes forever. Before you know it your somewhere else."

"Gentlemen."

"Chief. Can we please get out of here now?"

"No."

"I can't believe that woman died. We could die." He says. "Is it hot in here?"

"No."

"Then why am I sweating?"

"Cause your pacing."

"My pulse is rapid."

"Because you're still pacing."

"Feel me."

"I'm not going to feel you."

"Seriously."

"Seriously, no."

"You know you're an arse." He says. " You've got the hair. You've done things. You've got the hot wife. And the two beautiful kids. My point is you've lived! If you die, who cares? If I die… What, this is it? Lauren told me she loved me and I just stood there. I mean, I wasn't ready… What now I'm going to die. I'm not even getting the chance to say 'I love you' back."

"Do you? Do you love her?"

"She loves me."

"That wasn't the question."

"Maybe. Eventually. One day, soonish."

"Soonish? I will love you soonish?"

"Do you ever regret saying it?"

"Yes. Not with Meredith. Addison. She was never the one. Meredith was the one all along. I never really loved Addie."

"I have… but then with Lauren. It's different."

"You should tell her. Even if its soonish. You tell her before its too late."

"You mean before I die of the plague?"

"Before somebody else comes along. Or something else happens."

…

"You're home." She says that night when Derek walks through the door with Amelia at his side.

"Yeah." He says smiling. "I would have been by earlier but the…"

"The quarantine. I heard." She says placing the tea towel down on the bench. "Do you want some dinner?"

"Dinner would be excellent. With a nice cold beer."

"Amelia?"

"I'm going for a shower. I need a shower. Then I'm going to bed."

"Ok Amelia. Just come and get us if you need anything." Meredith says with a smile on her face.

Amelia left the room and they watched her. Meredith reheated his plate and opened his bottle of beer and placed it in front of him.

"Where are the kids?"

"Asleep."

"Already?"

"Well Cooper went down an hour ago and Kaylee and I read a story on the lounge and I kissed her goodnight and she went up to bed herself to read some more about 30 minutes ago. She's most likely out like a light."

"How long was I in quarantine for exactly?"

"I don't know." She says placing his plate down in front of him. "It's been a heck of a day."

"It really has been." He says frowning. "Come here."

She goes to his side and sits on the chair beside him and he grabs her hand.

"How is Izzie?"

"I got her up off the floor. It took all day to. It took everyone talking to her to get her off of the floor. She's a wreck Derek. I don't think she will ever recover from this."

"Do you not blame her?"

"I don't." She says. "I really don't. It could have been you die and me lying on the bathroom floor with people trying to talk me to get dressed eat some food, shower. I would be pissed off the way she was."

They sat in a silence for a few moments.

"Meredith I love you so much. I want you to know that if I die and you lie on the bathroom floor I want you to know that I love you."

"Derek I know you love me. I love you too."

"No you seriously don't know how much you love me. If I walked out of this house and was ran over by a semi and died you would still not understand how much I love you. I would be the husband to jump in front of a bullet for you and the husband to do anything to keep you alive just so I could be with you one extra day on this planet, just so I could love you one more extra day. I want every single available moment with you because Mer you are the love of my life. I could never find anyone as beautiful and caring as you. I could never love anyone as beautiful and different as you. I love you so much Mer and I have loved you forever. I couldn't ask for a better wife to spend the rest of my life with and to die in your arms. I'm going to die in your arms Mer. I'm going to love you like it's my last night on earth. I will always love you like it's the last night on earth. You're my everything. You're the person who completes me. You're the person I am never going to stop loving. I'm going to share my heart with you because you're the only one who I want to share it with. You, me and our children." He says to her.

She felt tears prang to her eyes.

"I'm going to love you like it's our last day on earth Meredith. I love you so much more then you think I do. If I die I don't want you to lie on the bathroom floor because you think your life is over. I want you to celebrate our life together and laugh about our time together because you'd be wasting time on the bathroom floor. You'd be wasting time with our kids. Seeing them grow up. Watch them grow up and travel the world because Meredith I want you to be happy." He says. "I love you Meredith."

A tear fell down her cheek. Derek wiped it away and kissed her.

"Like it's our last night one earth." She says in a whisper.

"Our last night on earth." He says.

"Derek where did this come from?"

"From being in quarantine today. I had time to listen to O'Malley whinge and fret about dying. He made me realise that Izzie is on the bathroom floor because her fiancé died. I wanted to let you know how much I love you because something could happen to me."

"If you are telling me how much you love me then share that with the kids because they deserve to know as well. So does your family."

"We better call Ma."

Derek rang Carolyn and broke the news to her.

"Ma Amelia has been in an accident. You should be on the next flight home because some stuff has happened and you should know exactly what has happened because it's not the Amelia you expect. Just be on the next flight home." He says. "I'm going to wait until you get home Ma because these things are going to stress you too much. The accident wasn't serious. She just had my car written off and had to spend a couple of nights at the hospital for observations. Just be on the next flight home because we need you." He says. "Bye Ma."

"How is she?"

"She was freaking out. She's not going to be happy." He says. "Let's go to bed Mer. I wanna love you like it's our last night on earth and share our love."

**Sorry for the delay. I should have regular updates from now on. **

**Let me know your thoughts. Next chapter is revolved around Amelia before Carolyn gets home.**


	92. I Can't Destroy Your Beautiful Life

Their peaceful slumber was broken early next morning to a phone call.

"It's only 5 in the morning. Who can it be?" Meredith mumbles.

"It's Ma." He says. "Hi Ma. Ok. Yeah one of us will come and pick you up at 'll be at the right gate. Ma just… We will be there. Don't stress about what is going on just enjoy the quiet of the trip because when you get back its going to be, well I don't know yet. It's going to be stressful." He says. "I love you and we will see you soon."

He hung up the phone and pulled Meredith closer. "It's only 4.45." He says.

"And it's a Sunday. It sucks even more. Sunday's are sleep in days." She says.

"I know they are." He says placing a kiss on the back of her neck. "Get some rest because we are going to have a very long day."

A few hours later they woke to Cooper on the baby monitor.

"I'll get him." Derek says leaving the bed and walking into the nursery.

She lays there and reaches over the side for her shirt, pyjama pants and panties.

"Mumma. Mumma. Wake up." He says running and jumping up onto the bed and jumping down beside her.

"Ouch." She says.

"Morning Mumma." He says kissing her cheek and wrapping his arms around her body.

"Hi baby boy." She says lying on her back to face him. She sits up and grabs him in her arms and hugs him, pulls his shirt up and starts blowing raspberries on his belly.

His giggles fill the room and brighten her mood.

"Mumma." He says. "Stop. Mumma. Stop. Pease."

"Ok but after this last one." She says leaning down and blowing another on his belly. He giggles again and she lets him go and he falls back on the mattress giggling and smiling.

"Coopie you brighten my day." She says.

"How Mumma?" He asks sitting up.

"You're my baby boy. You smile and giggle at silly things and everything about you is infectious. You are like your daddy my boy. Everything about you and you're a lot like Kaylee as well." She says.

"Kay?" He says with his eyes lighting up.

"I think she is still asleep Coopie." She says picking him up and sitting him beside her. "Do you love Kaylee?"

"Yeah Mumma. She my sis. She is my Kay Kay."

"Is she your Kay? I thought she was my Kay?"

"No Mumma, my Kay."

"Ok then if you insist."

"I do Mumma. Just like Thomas is mine."

"Coopie you make me smile." She says kissing his forehead.

"Thomas?" He asks pointing to the TV.

"I suppose. Are you a good boy?"

"I always am Mumma."

"That is true." She says grabbing the remotes from the bedside table and switching the TV on. "Coopie where did daddy go?"

"Kitch."

"Is he making breakfast?"

"His making my dada."

"Did you ask nicely for your dada?"

"Yeah Mumma."

"Good boy." She says.

She starts playing the DVD and Cooper's body language displays how excited he is.

"Coopie you've seen this a million times before, aren't you sick of it?

"No Mumma." He says. "Can you be quiet pease though? My Thomas is on."

"I suppose. You asked nicely." She says. "Do you want me to stay here and watch it with you?"

"Yeah Mumma."

"I will watch it with you. I'll be back in a tick. I have to go to the toilet."

"Okay." He says focusing on the TV.

She leaves him for 2 minutes and comes back climbing in bedside him and grabbing her mother's journal she was reading. She had barely been able to read these with all the things going on since the beginning of the year. She had rarely had these moments as well where she could sit with her kids for a full day doing nothing but laze around the house.

Derek walked into the bedroom with Cooper's bottle and a mug was in his other hand.

"Here you go bubba." He says handing Cooper his bottle.

"Thanks dada."

"And here you go. A cup of green tea."

"Thank you."

"I'm making us breakfast so just sit and relax."

"Thank you." She says smiling. "Is Kay up yet?"

"Not yet. She's stirring."

"Amelia?"

"I don't think she slept all night."

"Ok."

"I'll be back soon with breakfast." He says kissing her lips and leaving the room.

She takes a sip and places the mug on the bedside table.

Kaylee soon makes her way into the bedroom yawning and rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Hey baby girl."

"Morning Mummy." She says climbing up beside Cooper.

"Kay." Cooper says.

"Hey Coopie." She says kissing his head.

"How'd you sleep?"

"Good Mummy."

"That's good. Nanna's coming home today."

"Because Amelia crashed the car?" She asks.

"Part of the reason."

"Is Amy going to get into trouble?"

"Most likely sweetie."

"It wasn't her fault mummy. She was just sad."

"I wish that was just it." She says. "Anyway can you watch Cooper for me? Daddy is making breakfast downstairs for us."

"Sure Mummy."

Meredith climbs up from the bed and heads downstairs.

"What are you doing? I said to stay upstairs."

"I'm making Amelia a cup of tea. She needs it Derek and to not feel left out."

"Yeah I know."

She makes a cup and goes up to Amelia's room. She knocks on the door and waits.

"Amelia it's just me. Can I come in? I made you a cup of tea."

She waited for a few moments and the door opened. Amelia looked like a wreck. Her eyes were bloodshot and she looked exhausted. She went and sat down on the bed and curled up in a ball.

She sat the cup down on the bedside table and sat on the bed.

"Your mother will be home at about 1."

"Great." She says.

"We did have to call her sweetie. Derek and I… We didn't know what to do with you anymore. We ran out of ideas and so much has happened that we have lost a sense of time. These last 4 months have flown. I can't comprehend what has happened because so much has. I feel like I lost you… You would tell me everything and now you bottle everything up and I don't know what is going on with you. You are such a smart girl." Meredith says to her.

Amelia's back was turned to Meredith and tears were falling down her cheeks.

"Amelia you are a beautiful young girl. Why did this happen?" She asks. "You can tell me. I won't judge you. I never judge my family and friends for what mistakes they have made and I hope you don't judge me because I have made a lot Amelia. A lot that I'm not proud of. A lot of things I am proud of. You need to be honest about your feelings because they can make you sick and feel so unsure at life that you make mistakes. I know you learn by your mistakes. I hope you learn by your mistakes because I wouldn't want to see you waste the beautiful girl you are becoming. You are a stunner and you are going to get somewhere brilliant in life especially in the medical side of things." She says.

Amelia stays silent.

"Derek is cooking breakfast for us. Come and have some with us all and just watch Kaylee and Cooper turn your frown into a smile. They have a magical gift and they love their Aunt Amy so much. They don't like seeing you sad Amelia." Meredith says standing up. "Kaylee looks up to you so much. You don't want to disappoint her Amelia. She loves you and her seeing you do what you are doing to yourself is going to damage her and I don't want you to hurt my baby girl like that because she is the best thing that ever happened and she made me realise that life is short and live it with no regrets. You shouldn't do this to yourself because Kaylee will not grow up the way she is headed. She will see what you do and she will try it and I'm scared that instead of getting in behind the wheel of the car under the influence she will do something more erratic like playing on the train lines and she will never be revived. Or she will get behind the wheel of the car and crash it and kill all of her friends and she will be the lone survivor." Meredith says walking to the door.

"She's my baby girl Amelia. Don't do that to her. I can't let you hurt my baby girl Amelia because I will never forgive you. It's a terrible thing to say but I will never forgive you. You're her role model, live up to it. Don't disappoint her. Don't disappoint me. Don't disappoint Derek. Derek you know how he is Amelia. He will hold that burden of Kaylee for the rest of his life and he will never recover. Amelia change what you can before it's too late because you could hurt someone and I'm scared that you are going to destroy our family." She says. "Think about it because it's either change what you can or never be forgiven again. You are destroying lives here."

Meredith left her room and shut the door, leaning up against it. She felt horrible. She stayed there and could hear the sobs coming from the other side of the door.

Kaylee had left the bedroom and listened to what her mother had said to her Aunty. She was shocked that her mum said that. She wanted her mum to forgive Amelia and not have her daddy carry a burden for herself. Amelia only crashed her car that's all she did.

When she heard her mum move to the door she ran back to the bedroom and sat there wide eyed.

"Kay okay?"

"Yeah I'm ok Coopie. I love you. You know that Coopie."

"Yeah Kay."

Meredith came back to Cooper and Kaylee. She sat down and smiled at the kids. Kaylee was a little on edge at what had just happened and just sat there quietly.

"Kaylee are you alright?"

"Yeah… Yes Mummy."

"You can tell me if anything is bothering you."

"Nothing is wrong Mummy. I promise you."

"Okay baby girl."

Derek brought breakfast up on a tray and sat down on the mat in the room. His chocolate chip pancakes were the kids favourite and this was to make up for the fact that he had not eaten dinner with the kids for the past few nights.

"Eat up kids. I made plenty just for you."

"Thanks Daddy." Kaylee says smiling and sitting down on the floor.

Cooper went and sat in Meredith's lap and she helped him eat his breakfast.

"Ready open wide." She says holding the fork out in front of him and feeding him.

"Yum. Yum." He says smiling.

They were so engrossed in their family breakfast they didn't hear Amelia or even see her at the door until she spoke.

"Is there enough for me?" She asks quietly.

"Yes Aunty Amy. There's plenty." Kaylee says.

Meredith looks at her and meets her eyes. Meredith was frowning and then smiled, nodding her head. Amelia nodded back and came and sat down beside Kaylee and ate her breakfast.

"Are you feeling better Aunt Amy?"

"I am sweetie. You have made me feel better sweetie."

"That's nice to know. It's good that you are feeling better as well. I like having my happy aunty around."

"I like having my beautiful niece around."

Kaylee smiled wide and shoved another forkful in her mouth.

After their breakfast they sat there listening to Kaylee and Cooper interact with each other and talk.

"I'm going to go and clean up." Derek says. "You all just sit here and enjoy your Sunday together."

"I'll come and help you." Meredith says placing Cooper down beside her and standing up.

"Aunt Amy I love you so much."

"I love you to Kaylee."

"Can you maybe do my hair nice and pretty?"

"Of course. Come on lets go." She says to her. "Coopie you coming?"

"Okay." He says standing.

Amelia picks him up and carries him down to the bathroom with Kaylee following.

"Now miss Kaylee what do you want done?"

"I don't mind Amy. Try something new."

Amelia sat her up on the chair in front of the mirror. Amelia pulled out clips, brushes, bands, pins and the straightener.

"Amy why aren't I allowed to use the straightener like you?"

"Well your hair is so beautiful, you want to keep it beautiful for as long as you can. No heat, no damage and you'll have beautiful healthy hair for the rest of your life. Cause your hair is beautiful. Natural curls, natural colour, a beautiful colour. You will want to keep it natural."

"Then why do you have the straightener?"

"Well once in a blue moon is fine."

"Like today?"

"Like today." She says smiling down to her. "Today is a different day and you deserve something special."

…

Meredith and Derek left for the airport. Amelia wanted to stay back, pack her bags and spend time with Kaylee and Cooper. Meredith words ticking through her mind so fiercely she felt like her mind was going to explode.

Amelia made the two of them peanut butter and nutella sandwiches after she packed her stuff up. It took an hour for that to happen and she was hungry so her and Kaylee sat on the lounge eating lunch together and watching a movie. Amelia was looking at the numbers on the clock move closer to the time when Carolyn would walk through those doors.

She received a message from Meredith telling her that they would be home in 5 minutes. Now the nerves in her stomach were twisting and knotting inside her and making her feel nauseous.

They sat in Kaylee's room drawing when Amelia knew she had to speak.

"Hey Kaylee, I need to say something to you."

"Is this going to be a life lesson?" She asks with a smile prying on her lips.

"Yes and no." She says smiling. "Mainly about what happened the other day."

"When you crashed the car?"

"Yes sweetie."

"Okay. You can talk to me about it."

"Well I shall start from how that whole thing happened sweetie." She says. She could hear Cooper crying so they relocated to the nursery to get him.

She took Cooper from his cot and they sat on the floor together playing.

"Okay. The last 6 years have been an up and down ride for me. I was 10 nearly 11 when my dad died."

"Is that Poppy Michael. The one none of us ever got to meet?"

"Yes Poppy Michael. When he died I saw what happened. I was young but I saw what happened. That day has always had a burden on me. I have been carrying this guilt with me since that day because I felt as though if I wasn't being held back by your daddy I would have reached him and everything would have been so much better and we could have saved him but we didn't. That day replays in my mind all the time and I can't get rid of it. They haunt my nightmares and my dreams. They haunt my life I can't get rid of the memory." She says.

"It's hard to say why it affected me worse than your daddy. I believe it's because that night they conceived you Kaylee and he was going to become responsible for this person. This tiny, beautiful human, that he needed to love everyday that it has seemed to not bother him as much it has with me because I have gone through school with the teasing and people talking about me behind my back and all those things because I was the girl with the dead dad and all those nasty things that people say. They don't realise that those comments push your self-esteem lower and lower and you get to a point where you can't do it anymore. There is too much pressure so you call it quits and you rebel."

"Last year I got to a point in my life that I had had enough. I had all this pressure on my back to finish school with top marks and become a doctor like the rest of my family I had people on my back and expectations being shoved down my throat. I needed to escape. I distanced myself from my closest friends, the ones who did not judge me. The ones who stuck by me and told everyone to shove it when others picked on me, that I pushed them so far away. They kept coming back for me but I totally ignored them and pushed them away to a point where I now have no friends. I skipped a lot of classes and started hanging out in the bleachers with the smokers and the ones who done drugs and didn't give a care in the world about school and themselves. They didn't judge me. They had me in their group. My boyfriend found out and we fought and we never got back to where we were before. It was soon dad's 6 year anniversary and that's when I went out and didn't come here for the next three days because I had gotten myself wasted that I had forgotten where I lived. I liked the feeling though that's why I went back to them."

"I soon started cancelling out on school and wagging. The accident your dad was in made me feel like we were going to lose him. I thought he was going to die and leave you two without a dad. I was terrified that my big brother, the one who saved my life would die. It brought up painful memories of dad. I skipped lessons after lessons. I stole your dad's prescription pad and I partied hard on school nights. I have had run ins with my teachers about late nights and not showing up to school that I told them to leave me alone. They are looking out for me but I can't have them watching me like a hawk all the time." She says. "My behaviour was getting so bad. I was rude to you. Rude to my classmates. Rude to everyone. I had this attitude happening of I don't care cause I am bullet proof and I have had enough of people's comments and remarks that this is who I am. People are shocked at what I am doing. I realised being this person I am still being talked about. It's absolutely ridiculous. I have had enough of it Kaylee. The comments it made me turn to alcohol and these drugs that it takes the pain away."

She swallows hard. "The day I picked you up from ballet and drove you home. The day I crashed the car. I got to school. My locker had been vandalised with revolting words I am not going to tell you. It had letters inside it full of those words and people's disgrace in me. I truanted for the first two classes. The deputy, Miss Peter's found me. She has a soft spot for me. She knew where I would be and she knew that I wouldn't be in class because of what happened to my locker. She explained that high school sucks for people who are slightly different. She said that she has heard so much about me from my older siblings and that I am just going through a rough patch. She understands it. I somewhat failed her and I felt bad. She got me back into my next two classes but that's when I had people push me into lockers, they stole my things and made me wear my lunch. I left school without caring and I went down to the car and left. I went home, showered and went to one of my older friends house. We hung out for the rest of the day and he made me feel better. I picked you up and I was starting to feel the aching heart when I got you from ballet. It brought back the memories of dad picking me up from classes and him picking me up in the air high that I felt like I was touching the sun. I then saw you and it reminded me that you were made that night. Your beautiful face reminded me of that night. "

"Your beautiful face is so innocent that it was hurting me. I popped a couple of pills as we walked to the car. I had sat in the car injecting myself with things to make me feel better. I got you in the car and made sure you were extra safe. I popped a few more and we drove home. I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just hurting so badly that I needed to make the pain go away. I needed it so badly that I had to risk the life of my beautiful niece because I have a habit and I had to feed it because the kids at school had made my time a living hell. I endangered the life of you because my life was so crap. My niece. My Kaylee had to be in the car with me because I am an idiot. I let the kids get to me this time. I let everyone get to me and I pushed all my friends away because I thought I didn't need them. You are the only person in the world who is so beautiful and for life I almost ended it." She says with tears falling down her cheeks. "I almost lost my family because of my petty ways. Kaylee, I almost lost you. I would have been the cause of our family spiting up, the reason I would have been forgotten because I destroyed your young life. You have so much to look forward to, I almost destroyed it. I almost killed my brother's daughter. Caused him the grief that he didn't need. Caused him to change and carry a burden for the rest of his life. To burden the way he lived and changed him forever. Your mummy would never forgive me Kaylee if I destroyed your life. She would have never forgiven me. I wouldn't have forgiven myself if you died."

"You look up to me. You love me. I'm your role model. Your future. The one who you look for first when you come over. I am that person to you. I don't want you ending up the way I did. I don't ever want you to get to where I am. If I did die that day I would have changed your life forever. You would change your beautiful view of life to a twisty view. I would be the blame for that. I couldn't watch you become that. Kaylee you have to promise me right now that you will never let anyone get to you because I let everyone get to me. I let them get to me and I almost destroyed everyone's lives because of it. I love you so much. You are so beautiful. Don't do what I did." She says crying. "Don't ever follow my bad footsteps because I can't destroy the pretty girl that I see sitting in front of me. I can't destroy the future I imagine you to have. I can't." She says. "I'm getting myself clean Kaylee. I am doing it just for you. I need to not be this person anymore because I will end up not waking up ever again. I need help Kaylee and I am admitting I need help. I want you to hold my hand as I go and get this help because I will finish my treatment and I will change just for you. Kaylee I am doing this for you because I want to sit in the front row when you discover the cure for Alzheimer's. I want to be the first one there. I am doing this for you. For Cooper. For my nieces and nephews. For my sisters and brother. For my friends. For my mother. For my father." She says. "Kaylee will you please hold my hand as I walk through those doors and admit that I have problems?"

Kaylee looked like she was going to cry. Her eyes were wide and her lips were trembling. Her whole body was trembling. She nodded her head. "Yes." She says with tears falling from her beautiful blue eyes. "I will hold your hand every step of the way Amelia." She says bursting into tears.

Amelia pulled her into her lap and held her trembling body.

"Kaylee I love you so much. I would not live with myself if you died."

She picked Kaylee up and held Cooper's hand as they walked down the stairs to the kitchen. They walked through the doors of the kitchen and Amelia was met with three teary eyed grownups. She placed Kaylee on the ground.

"Ma I need help." Amelia admits crying even more and collapsing to the floor in a crying heap.

**Let me know your thoughts on this. **

**This chapter I feel summed up all of Amelia's thoughts and the discussion that they should have had but couldn't bring themselves to do. It was a grown up decision also for Amelia admitting she needed help. **

**So that arc of the story is at the end. The next chapter is 5 weeks later. Think Meredith on Morphine.**

**Oh and might I say, Grey's was intense. Great season premier especially the way they decided to have it. I was a very please viewer. We just have to wait until next week to finally find out what really happened from the closing scene of 8x24 and before 9x01.**


	93. Extra Support

The next 5 weeks passed over. It had been hard on everyone.

After Amelia's breakdown on the kitchen floor Carolyn took her home and called for a rehabilitation centre. She needed help and the help she needed wasn't from her family, it was from professionals.

The centre was for juveniles and was just outside of Seattle on a farm, away from the busy city life it was in the old country life.

She was signed up for a 40 day program and as Kaylee promised her she held her hand as she walked into the centre and declared she had a problem.

Meredith and Derek thought it was a bad idea for Kaylee to go to such a place but Kaylee insisted.

"_Mummy, daddy. I have to do this because I promised her and she would not walk through those doors without me. I had to hold her hand because sometimes when the road ahead is scary you need that extra support to get you to the other side of your journey."_

She went off with Amelia and Carolyn and they entered her into the centre. She gave Kaylee a long hug goodbye and a thank you and was taken away to not be seen. Carolyn stood holding Kaylee's hand as they watched Amelia disappear to change her life. Carolyn could not believe how brave Kaylee was. She held her promise and she didn't break it.

Carolyn had not been too pleased with Derek and Meredith keeping this a secret. She told them it was wrong to lie but she understood because we are all allowed mistakes.

Amelia's confession made them realise why she did it. The baby monitor in the kitchen said everything and they understood where Amelia was and how she was feeling. Carolyn took her home and said pack your bags, you're getting your help.

It has been 25 days since she entered rehab and from what Carolyn was told, she was rehabilitating well.

…

That morning they drove to work. Both kids in the back. Kaylee in her uniform ready to go to school.

"Are you feeling alright Mer?" Derek asks her noticing how pale she was and her clutching her stomach.

"Yeah… I'm great."

"Menstrual cramps?"

"Yeah."

"You don't get them that bad usually. I have paracetamol in my bag."

"I'll be fine."

"You let me know if you're not. I'll come and save you." He says smiling at her.

"I don't need saving."

"Well you might not feel like you do but I will save you." He says as he pulls into the parking lot. "Okay Cooper I am taking you up to the crèche, Kaylee is going with mummy and she is going to drive you to school."

Meredith helps Cooper out from his car seat and picks him up and carries him with Derek and Kaylee walking behind them.

Meredith was hiding the pain she was feeling carrying Cooper. She just kept walking hiding the pain from Derek because she knew he would make a fuss over her.

"Okay you give him me." Derek says taking Cooper. "Say bye to mummy."

"Bye bye." He says.

"I'll see you later Coopie." She says kissing him goodbye. "Come on Kay."

Kaylee and I walked the floor to the locker room. The interns were piling into the locker room, getting ready for their day. Kaylee sat on the bench and watched her mummy dress.

Meredith had her scrub pants on and was just about to put her pants on when she sat down on the bench and held her stomach.

"Mummy are you alright?"

"Yeah baby." She says managing a smile.

"So Izzie left the house the morning which is a good sign." George says and then turns to Meredith. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just not feeling like myself."

"O'Malley seems to have that effect on women. Ask Dr Carter." Alex says.

"What's that supposed to me?"

"Dude, you threw her out on her ass."

"I did not. Who told you?"

"Carter." He says. "Oh, don't worry. I get it. She's hot, but she's not for you."

"Why is that?"

"Because she's hot."

Meredith finished dressing and put her coat on.

"Let's go people. I've been in surgery since 2 am. I am in no mood." Bailey says.

"Come on sweetie." Meredith says grabbing her hand. "Be good today for Dr Bailey." She whispers and leads her from the locker room.

"No cutting! No cutting!" Cristina says.

"Yang! You're late."

"Hey I got here before George."

"I'm here. I was here."

"Nice of you to join us, Yang."

"What are you smiling at? Aren't you supposed to be on the Gyne brigade?"

"Yeah whatever."

Meredith stopped and braced herself onto a supply self and let go of Kaylee's hand to clutch her stomach.

"Woman troubles." Cristina asks.

"Yeah and the two young kids thing and the stress of the whole A-m-y thing. Just a little stressed out at home. I think I'm getting an ulcer."

"You need to slow down."

"But I can't." She says grabbing Kaylee's hand and continuing with the group.

"Shawn Sullivan, 62, minimally-invasive bypass surgery two days ago to remove a blockage from his LAD…"

"I'm all better now, thank you. So, what do you think? Can I stop being a burden to you good people and head on home."

Meredith had seemed to zone out at what was happening. The pain was becoming unbearable and she felt like she was going to pass out at any moment. Kaylee stood with Alex listening to George present.

"What do you sell?"

"Cars."

"My Shawny could sell anything."

"Yeah, I believe he can. What he can't sell me on is going back to work before he gets his oxygen levels up. So you put that oxygen back on, Mr Sullivan, before I even think about letting you out of here. You know, if I do, I want your word. Nothing fried, no alcohol and no cigarettes."

"What? You tough, Miranda."

"I need you word, or I'm not going to sign those papers."

"I give you my word."

"Hmm. All right, then. Mrs Sullivan, go to the front desk to fill out paperwork. Then you can take your husband home." Bailey says.

Leaving the Sullivan's room Bailey noticed how pail Meredith was.

"You all right, Dr Grey?"

"Yeah, Dr Bailey, I just need…" She says sitting down. "To have a stress free day, that's all."

Derek appears and walks towards her.

"Hi daddy." Kaylee says.

"Hi sweetie." He says. "Dr Grey are you feeling alright?" He asks her noticing how pale she is. "Do you want me to take Kaylee to school?"

"Dr Bailey can I get…" Dr Sloan says. "Oh my god." He says.

Everyone turns to look at the window.

"Oh, my god." Derek says.

"Oh, my god." Meredith says.

"Is that…?"

"McBitchy." Cristina says.

Meredith throws up and everyone turns their attention to her.

"What…?" Bailey says running to her side.

"No, Mr Sullivan, don't light that!" George yells.

Everyone watches as the patients' face catches alight. Cristina grabs a hold of Kaylee and hides her from what is happening.

"Get a fire extinguisher." Derek says running into the room.

"Call a code red." Bailey says.

George and Alex follow Derek into the room and Mark stays at Cristina's side with Kaylee.

…

"You're burning up." Derek says.

"I'm fine." She says.

"You don't look fine. You look beautiful, but you don't look fine."

"Now I'm going to throw up." Cristina says.

"You have our daughter to take to school. And surgeons to avoid." She says referring to Addison.

"You gonna be alright while I'm gone?"

"Yeah."

"Will you look after her, please?"

Cristina nods her head and Derek takes Kaylee's hand.

"What idiot lights a cigarette in a hospital?" Richard says to Addison.

"Apparently, people do idiotic things all the time." Addison says referring to Derek walking by.

Derek just shoots her a glare and continues walking and follows the Chief up the stairs.

"Chief! Chief!"

"I never thought you would show your face around here?" Mark says to Addison.

"I thought it was time for a new change."

"You can't be here. Derek has his life and a family. People have moved on."

"Sure, I can. It was easy. I sold my apartment and then got a job here. Richard was looking for a resident to study under the OB/G/YN and become the next best thing in Seattle."

"What is she doing here in Seattle Richard?" Derek asks.

"She is going to make an excellent OB/G/YN." Richard says. "You have to get over your past with her Derek."

"It's not that simple. We were planning on getting married. We called it off because Meredith was pregnant with Cooper."

"Why do you think I'm here?"

"Too somehow put a road block in Meredith and Derek's marriage."

"I left Seattle because of them two."

"She left Seattle because of her internship. She left Seattle because there was no wedding."

"We all make mistakes." Richard says.

Meredith pushed Cristina out of the way for the bin and threw up again.

"Holy crap. Are you pregnant?" She yells.

Everyone seems to turn and look at her direction.

"Well, this is just perfect." Addison says.

Derek runs down the stairs to be at her side. "Meredith."

"You've done enough already Derek. You need to take Kaylee to school."

"Meredith."

"Oh, Doctor? I finished filling out the paperwork. When do you think I can take Shawny home?"

She was taken to an exam room. Derek had left to take Kaylee to school and Cristina was checking her over.

"So was this planned?"

"I'm not pregnant."

"I didn't think I was pregnant when I was pregnant, but you've been here twice before you should know. The abdominal pain, fever, the non-stop vomiting."

"I'm not pregnant."

"This is the conceived, prom sex baby isn't it?"

"We do it all the time."

"You two are going to scare your children."

"I can't be pregnant again. Can I?"

"With McBaby number 3."

"Was I this mean to you when you were pregnant?"

"I thought you said you weren't."

"She's not. We'll have to run some more tests."

"In that case, can I have some morphine?" She says curling up into a ball.

…

"Is Mummy pregnant daddy?"

"No she's not sweetie. She is just a little sick, that's all."

"Oh okay. Is that lady you were going to marry back in Seattle daddy?"

"Yeah baby she is."

"That guy who was on fire is he going to die?"

"No he won't die. He just needs to have surgery."

"That was pretty scary daddy."

"I know baby." He says pulling in at the school. "Now baby don't worry about anything that happened today. Enjoy your day at school and I will come and pick you up and we will go and see how Mummy is doing. She will be fine baby so don't you worry."

"Okay daddy." She says.

Derek gets out of the car and helps her down and puts her bag on her back.

"I have to get back but you have a good day." He says hugging her. "I'll see you this afternoon." Kissing her goodbye. "Now go on."

Kaylee runs into school and finds one of her friends. Derek stands watching her and then gets into the car and leaves for the hospital again. To see how Meredith is.

…

"You're a good friend."

"You're so high right now." Cristina says.

"Actually you're my best friend in the whole entire world."

"Now I just feel sorry for you."

"Why. Cause I could die today."

"This is why I hate being around stoned people."

"And if I did die today, I'd only be remembered as the girl who got knocked up in high school. I'd die as the girl who broke off an engagement because she got pregnant to the groom, right?"

"But none of that matters because you'll be dead."

"Hey." Derek says rushing into the room. "Are you?"

"No she is not." Cristina says.

"Okay."

"Dr Grey, you've got a fever, high white count, and tenderness over McBurney's point, which suggests…." She says.

"Appendicitis." Derek, Cristina, George and Miranda say at the same time.

"Appendicitis." Meredith says.

"Dr O'Malley, prep Dr Grey. You're scrubbing in."

"I am. On Meredith's appendectomy?"

"Am I the only one who remembers the last time George scrubbed in on an appendectomy? He almost killed the guy. Sorry, George."

"I don't have to scrub in, Dr Bailey. I could just…" He says. "Unless you want me to, which, you know… not going to happen again."

"Good enough for you, Dr Grey?" She says turning to Meredith.

Meredith smiles at her. "You're pretty."

Bailey leaves the room. Cristina follows her and George goes to leave.

"George! Ice chips." She says nodding her head.

"What have you had?" Derek asks.

"Morphine." She says smiling.

"You know you are sounding a little crazy right now." He says.

"Did you just call me crazy?"

"Yes. Only because you're not acting the way you usually do" he says leaning in to kiss her. "I'll go and get Coopie for you Mer."

…

"Now let's see, your complexion is flushed." He says running his thumbs over her cheeks. "Abdominal wall's tender. Aren't you happy to have a husband who works in a hospital?"

Cooper was sitting on the bed with Meredith she had her arm around him and was holding him.

She just smiles. "Yes I am. I have someone to look at all day. I have my husband to perve on all day like the other interns and nurses do. But I'm allowed to because we said vows and you're my…" She says stopping to think for a moment.

"Husband?"

"Yeah that."

"Okay let's get you prepped and ready." George says walking into the room. "Derek."

"Hi."

"Georgie." She says.

"Dr Grey, we have to prep you and get you ready for surgery."

"Dr Bailey my boys are here."

"Yes I can see that Dr Grey. Now it's time to say bye to Cooper and Derek."

"Come on Coopie. Mummy has to rest for a couple of hours." He says. "Say goodbye to her."

"Bye bye mummy." He says kissing her.

"Bye baby boy. I love you."

"I'll be here when you wake up alright?" He says kissing her lips.

"Okay. You better be so I have someone to look at cause I'm allowed to do that rather than those slutty nurses." She yells really loudly.

Derek winks at her and leaves her room. With Bailey shutting the door behind them. George and Bailey look at her and shake their heads and she just laughs.

…

"Addison!" She calls out. "Dr Montgomery?

"You bellowed, Dr Grey?" She says walking into the room.

"Hi."

"You certainly are, aren't you?" She says indicating for the chart to be handed over. "But you're not pregnant."

"No."

"Are you okay?"

"Fine. How are you?"

"I should explain some things to you." She says. "Or at least apologise."

"You don't have to."

"No I do. I do." She says. "Derek and I have known each other for 10 years. We have been in and out of a relationship. He was my best friend. You don't owe me anything. Nothing. No-thing." She says. "Wait, what was I saying?"

"Derek."

"Right. We had a child together at 18. We were going to get together but it didn't work. We were going to leave it to time as well because we just had Kaylee and we were new parents. Derek just jumped the gun and didn't wait for me. Or until he did he was ready but he was coming home with you. I couldn't believe him. Then everything happened and you were engaged." She says. "I was lonely and a single mother. Derek seemed to know how to cheer me up and he wasn't there anymore. 7 weeks before your wedding, my mother died and to make me feel better Mark got the two of us drunk and we slept together at an inappropriate time. I then found out I was expecting his baby. I had to tell him Addison because I couldn't lie about him being a dad to my son."

"I'm sorry I destroyed your wedding to Derek. I understand how you fell in love with him. It's how I fell in love with him." She says reaching for her bag. She takes her phone out and finds a picture of Cooper. "This is my son Cooper." She says showing her the phone. "He was the baby we conceived on my birthday. He is nearly 22 months old now. I couldn't hide him not being Derek's baby."

"Yeah you couldn't. He is beautiful."

"I'm sorry that that happened."

"Meredith, let me tell you something. Derek was so hung up on you. He loved him the same time he loved me. He had a baby girl with you. He would be at your house all the time to see his daughter. He would boast about his daughter and you. I know he loved you. I should have called it off earlier because I knew. I was selfish because finding someone like Derek is very rare these days. I admit that now because he is brilliant. He's the type of guy you know wouldn't hurt me."

"He hurt me when he chose you."

"I should have let him go. He was a father." She says. "I don't hate you Meredith."

"How come we didn't talk like this before?"

"The only reason we are talking like this right now is because I know you won't remember a single word of this once the drugs wear off." She says smiling.

Meredith smiles back at her as Addison leaves the room.

"Were you just talking to Meredith?" Derek asks.

"Yeah." She says smiling.

"What?"

"Never hurt her again."

…

Meredith had been in and out of surgery and was now in recovery. Derek at her side waiting for her to wake up.

"She went well. No complications. She will be on bed rest for a week or so. So you know the protocol no heavy lifting. So no lifting the kids and carrying heavy things. No sex." She says. "She will not be able to work for a week." Bailey says.

"Okay then." Derek says standing to brush the hair away from her face and kiss her forehead. "Thank Bailey." He says to her.

Kaylee was at the nurses' station colouring a picture for when Meredith woke up.

Derek sat up on Meredith's bed holding her hand and Meredith's eyes started to open.

She looked around the room to see flowers on the table and a few drawings already.

"Hey. How are you feeling?" Derek asks.

"Sore."

"I bet you are." He says kissing her lips. "Do you want to hear about the Meredith on morphine experience?"

"I don't know. Do I?"

"I think you would. You surely know how to embarrass yourself with personal things. Calling out across the hospital. Saying things to nurses about me. Saying Dr Bailey was pretty. Talking about me being man candy that only you get to have. You were the entertainment for the day."

"That is mortifying." She says. "I can't believe I said that."

"It was quite entertaining." He says. "And memorable."

"Oh god. They will never let me down."

"Give it a few weeks."

She smiles at him. "Have you spoken to Addison?"

"You spoke to Addison."

"What?"

"Yeah that was the whole Meredith-on-morphine experience. You bellowed and you apologised for what happened."

"Oh god."

"It's alright. She understood everything. Very well."

"I'm an idiot."

"You are a beautiful idiot." He says kissing her lips.

"Daddy, I finished the…." She says and realises that her mother is awake. "Mummy, you're awake?"

"Hey baby girl." Meredith says as Kaylee climbs up onto the bed.

"I drew a picture for you."

"I'll come back. Do you want anything?" Derek asks.

"My baby boy and some ice chips."

"Coming right up." He says.

"Mummy, are you feeling better?"

"Yeah baby girl. They had to take my appendixes out."

"Is it sore?"

"A little bit. I just have to take it easy for a few days. It would just be like if I had a baby and they cut the baby out of my stomach during the caesarean I would have to take it easy for a few weeks."

"So you're not having a baby mummy?" She says lying down beside her.

"No I'm not."

"Okay. I wish you were." She says.

"Let's just wait a while and we will see what happens."

"Okay mummy." She says. "Will I get a baby sister, cause a baby sister would be nice."

"Another girl would be nice sweetie." She says. "Let's just get through the rest of this year and we will see what happens."

"I love you mummy."

"I love you too beautiful girl."

**What did you all think? Let me know. I apologise for the fillers. I think its necessary for these to help the story move along in that steady pace.**

**There is though significant time jumps in the next few chapters. By chapter 100 a lot is going to happen and I'm excited to share it with all of you guys.**

**Comments would be great and I will have the next chapter up sooner than later. Its time away from the hospital and celebrating Jasmine's 18****th**** and also spending time with Steph.**

**Comments I would really like. Pretty please!**

…


	94. Sacrifice, Love And Hard Work

It was now May. 2 months had passed since Meredith's appendix was taken out. Izzie had come back to work. Burke's hand tremor had come to light and Cristina had been suspended from the OR. Cristina and Burke were soon engaged to be married. George also went off to Vegas and got married to Lauren. Amelia was finally at home again and started at a new school after the Easter holidays and she was happier. She was in therapy 3 times a week and an improvement was coming along.

Easter had come and gone and Meredith was busier and busier at work preparing for her intern test.

…

The past few weeks they decided to wean Cooper from his cot. He was growing up, despite Meredith not wanting that to happen. They moved him from the nursery and into Jackson's old room. Derek and Meredith painted over the room in a blue like Thomas. Meredith stencilled train tracks as a boarder. They turned his room into a bedroom. Steph gave them Sam's old bed from when he was a toddler. Sam had a liking for Thomas and Steph made him a Train bed for his first bed. She wanted to promote Sam to a bigger bed and shifted it off to Meredith and Derek for Cooper's first bed.

The first night took Cooper longer to settle into his new bed and cried for the night. The next night he slept for half the night then woke up and came and slept with Derek as Meredith was at work. Then the next night we slept the whole night without crying or waking to go and climb into bed with Derek and Meredith.

Meredith woke Derek the morning he didn't climb into bed excited but with tears in her eyes.

"_Our boy has finally got his first bed. And finally slept in it for a whole night. He's growing up." She says._

"_Are you crying?"_

"_It's a happy time."_

"_You know what that means now? A cot for a new baby."_

"_A cot for a baby that we aren't going to try for, until next year." She says smiling._

"_7 months." He says._

"_7 months." She says kissing him. "But you are toilet training this time round."_

"_Fine. Why are we going to begin that?"_

"_When it is warmer heading into summer."_

"Mumma. Wake up." Cooper says climbing up onto the bed.

"Morning baby boy."

"Mumma where's dada?"

"Dada is at work."

"Home?"

"In a few hours boy." She says smiling at him. "You need your nappy changed mister. Come on, we'll changed your nappy and get some breakfast."

She changed his nappy and carried him downstairs to make him breakfast.

"Mumma look." He says pointing to Sparrow.

"What's he doing Coopie?" She asks as she puts him in his high chair.

"He's playing Mumma."

"Do you want your bottle?"

"Yes please."

She handed him his bottle and then went and let Peanut in. Peanut stood at Cooper's chair because of Cooper's messy eating habits and Cooper always managed more food on himself or on the ground then in his mouth. Peanut wouldn't pass up on the dropped food either because she was a Labrador.

"Peanut we are going to have to start taking you for more walks." She says as she gives Cooper his breakfast. "And Coopie you have to stop giving her your food."

Cooper smiles at her before he starts laughing. She ruffles his hair and smiles. "I don't mean to."

"You are cheeky little boy Coopie."

She makes herself breakfast and a coffee and sits and reads the paper while she eats.

Kaylee comes down the stairs. "Sam's coming over mummy. I get to see Sam, Mummy."

"You saw Sam yesterday."

"But Mummy that's a long time Mummy. He's my best friend." She says kissing Cooper and then her mum.

"I know sweetie." She says smiling. "Do you want me to make you your breakfast?"

"No mummy. I'll make it."

"Well get me if you need a hand."

"I'm a big girl mummy. I will be fine."

"I know you're a big girl." She says.

Kaylee made herself a bowl of cereal without any mess and came and sat at the table.

"Mummy what time are we going for dinner tonight?"

"6.30"

"Mummy can I ask you a question?"

"You can ask me anything Kaylee. You know that. I answer it as best I can."

"Okay. Well…" She says.

"Come on Kay, it can't be that bad."

"Mummy what will you do if I have a baby at 18?"

Meredith was shocked to know that Kaylee would ask this but she knew she would one day because Meredith had Kaylee at that age. She knew it would come up in conversation.

"Well sweetie… I don't know. To be honest I don't know what I will do. I hope that you don't fall pregnant because a baby is a big responsibility. It's a huge struggle. A huge, day to day struggle. Daddy and I know what it is like. We faced the struggles every day. The bad sides to being a mum at 18 are that you haven't finished school. You want to maybe travel the world. Go to college and med school. Travelling with a baby is hard. Going to med school with a baby is hard. And to try and keep up with homework and classwork. I was lucky in a way because it was during the holidays and then I had my exams. It was hard to study for exams because of that. You though were a good baby who would sleep for most of the time while we studied. It's just you can never expect a sleeping baby. You can't expect what you hear you have to take what happens in as it happens. Cooper we were hoping would be like you but he was different. Daddy and I had a lot of sleepless nights because of his sleeping habits." She says. "Kaylee I say if you want to go to med school wait until you finish med school to have a baby. Wait until you're at least a 3rd or 4th resident before thinking about a baby." She says.

"But the good thing that your daddy and I felt was that we had a thing we made from scratch. We were in control of this tiny, beautiful baby. We decided everything from what we feed you to where we send you to school. We get to raise you the way we think is right. Your daddy and I have the best job in the world. We have the job to keep you safe and to make sure you grow up into your adulthood healthy. We have this awesome job that is so amazing you can't describe it unless you know what it is." She says. Kaylee was smiling at her. "It can be stressful but when your baby smiles for the first time, sits up, crawls, says her first words you know that the stress is not worth it because you can watch this child grow and learn about the world around them." She says. "We never regret bringing you into the world Kaylee."

"Mummy I don't resent you and Daddy for having me at a young age. You are not like the other children's parents at school. They are in their 30's and wanted a stable job and money before having their children. You and Daddy made me with love and you never knew exactly what would happen the next day. You lived not knowing. The others lived knowing. I think not knowing is way cooler then knowing because if you know you can expect. If you don't then you have to accept whatever is thrown into your path a second before you get there. It's like a fun adventure because you go and not know what will come of it at the other end."

"You are exactly right Kaylee." She says. "Can I let you know that I love you no matter what happens. If you become a teen mum then I will not care. If you don't have kids then I won't mind. Having a child is your choice. It's a choice between you and your partner. So don't care what others think because you shouldn't let society judge you. Be who you want to be." Meredith says to her. "Just I think daddy and I would be disappointed that you have fallen pregnant and done what we did but we will love you no matter what happens. You have to come to us though if it does so we can talk and support you through it. You promise me that."

"I promise."

"Good. Now I am going to make some cupcakes for when Steph and the kids get here. You finish eating baby girl. Enjoy being a kid Kaylee." She says placing her hand on Kaylee's cheek. "Because one day you will have to grow up like I did. I never got to enjoy being a kid." She says. "The only thing that I want you to do in life is to not worry about what happens in the next few years. Enjoy your childhood. I want you to get to do the things that I missed out on."

…

Derek walked through the door after 9. He said hello to the kids and to Meredith and then went up and showered. Meredith dressed Cooper and done Kaylee's hair and showered herself. She came down the stairs and saw Steph with Sam, Zoe, Alyssa, Bowen and Carleigh.

"Hey girly. Nice of you to finally join us." Steph says to Meredith.

"Hey I wasn't that long. Besides when you are an intern you barely have time for yourself."

"Excuses are not good in this scenario." She says.

"Oh and I've missed you too." Meredith says hugging her. "My, my look at the triplets."

"I know. They have gotten quite big in the past month. Especially Bowen. He is overtaking his sisters."

Derek had Bowen on his lap and was bouncing him. Carleigh and Ally were beside Steph.

"God. They are getting too big." Meredith says kissing the girls heads and then Bowen's.

"Bow is walking already."

"Already?" Derek and her say at the same time.

"That can't be right."

"They are nearly 11 months old Mer. Cooper was walking at 10."

"I know. It just seems like they were born yesterday."

"They are babies they grow like crazy. Just like how teenagers grow crazy."

"Jackson, he is still growing crazily. My little brother is huge."

"We could see that coming." Derek says smiling.

"Anyway talking about siblings, is Charlie 12?"

"Yeah she is. You wouldn't think it considering you met her when she was 6."

"I know it's only been 6 years but good it feels like I have known your family forever."

"I am going to say the same. Jasmine is 18 today."

"Oh and on your 18th birthday you had a baby." Steph says.

"I know. It's crazy to think that 6 years ago I was just turning 18 and I was having a baby."

"Well we have survived Mer." Derek says placing his hand on her knee and smiling. "Through everything. We have survived." He says.

"And some people thought we wouldn't." She says. "We had a baby at 18. 6 years later we are doctors and we have another child. We survive anything." She says.

Derek leans in and kisses her.

"Hey there are babies in the room." Steph says.

"Oh Steph you just wish you were young like we are."

"Not really." She says.

"It's a shame cause it's a whole lot of fun."

"You two are like horny teenagers. Can't keep your hands off of each other. Have you-know-what around the house. You can't control yourselves."

"Well it's healthy." Derek says.

"And it's natural. It's called a marriage."

"I still don't know why there aren't ten other kids running around this house."

"Hey we are protected when we are not drunk." Meredith says.

Steph just chuckles and then looks at the two of them. "Any plans yet on any other kids?" She asks.

"We are thinking next year. Cooper will be 2 and a half and I won't be an intern anymore, hopefully. Things will be a little less crazy."

"You could have a baby by the end of next year. You do realise that." Steph says.

"Yeah I do. We'll be what 25?" Meredith says.

"25." Derek says.

"Oh you two are getting old." She says.

"Hey we are." Meredith says. "God I could be a grandma at 40." She says.

"You'll be a sexy grandma." Derek says seductively.

"Oh well you'll be a pretty good looking grandpa." She says.

"Okay you two I can take the kids for an hour and give the two of you some alone time."

"It's fine." Meredith says. "Did you bring Zoe and Sam's bikes?"

"Yeah I did."

"Okay let's go for a ride to the park then." Meredith says. "Peanut needs to be walked and its gets the kids out in the fresh air."

"I'll go and get the bikes and the pram." Steph says.

"No, Derek will. We can get the shoes on their feet and sunscreen on."

Within half an hour they had helmets on Kaylee, Sam and Zoe's head. They had hats on Cooper, Alyssa, Bowen and Carleigh's heads. Cooper was in his little push trike and the triplets were in the pram.

Derek had Peanut on the leash up the front watching Sam, Kaylee and Zoe. Meredith was pushing Cooper in his little push bike and Steph had the pram.

"How has Cooper settled into his new bed?" Steph asks.

"Pretty good. The first night he cried for the whole night. I ended up sleeping in his bed with him. The next night he slept for half the night and we woke up with him in the bed. Then the next night he slept the whole way through the night. Did not wake. He slept how he usually sleeps."

"He really is growing up isn't he?"

"He sure is. No longer our baby boy. He's our nearly 2 year old." She says.

"What have you done with the nursery furniture?"

"It's still in the nursery. We will probably pack most of it away. I realised when I was cleaning out his room that we had Cooper's onesies from when he was a month old still in the draws. I just sat there trying to remember the time he was that small. It feels like forever."

"That's what happened with Sam and I have started to make room in the triplets' room and I just sit there thinking the same thing. Even clothes that Sam was wearing last year I sit there thinking what has happened."

"It's just so surreal the whole newborn baby then in a few years they go from that to graduating high school. The child you made from scratch and you grew in your stomach and you were in labour with and heard their first cries and watched them grow to becoming a high school graduate. It's just weird how time flies."

"I know. I kind of wish they would stay babies for just a little while longer. But they grow and become more dependant so you don't have to be carrying them everywhere and watching them. You can trust them and they can talk to you and tell you what is wrong. Just they grow so quickly."

Meredith smiles at her and remembers to the day after she had Kaylee.

"_I can't get over how beautiful she is Derek." She says to Derek who is lying down beside her. Kaylee was asleep, curled into her chest._

"_She is like you Mer. Beautiful. She is gorgeous. She will grow up to be gorgeous like you as well. Smart and gorgeous. Hopefully she won't be here in 18 years' time having her own baby but she will be graduating high school and going to med school." He says._

"_She's not even a day old and you have decided that she is going to medical school?"_

"_Of course. She is going to go to the most prestigious medical school in the country."_

"_Derek you know that we will follow you to go to Bowdoin. We can pack up and move."_

"_Mer this is home for us. We love it here. We just have had our little girl. We can't pack up and leave. We have family here as well. This is where I want to be."_

"_I want to be wherever you are Derek. With you and Kaylee. I don't care if we live in Seattle or in New York. I just want to be with you."_

"_To be a family."_

"_Yes a family." She says._

_Derek kisses her soft and quickly and then smiles at her and then at Kaylee. She was in a onesie. She was swaddled in a blanket and had a white beanie on her head. He leant down and kissed her covered head._

"_It's strange to think Derek that we made her. She is the little girl we made from scratch. You and me. For 9 months she was inside of me and now she is already a day old. We are going to have to cherish every moment with her because she will be leaving high school in 18 years. She will no longer be our little girl. We will have to cherish these times and spend every waking minute with her." She says._

_He smiles and then a question comes across his mind._

"_Mer we're not together. What will happen if she grows without us together?"_

"_Derek don't think about that. Just don't worry about that at this moment. We can worry about that later when we aren't in a peaceful bubble of happiness and love and newborn baby smell."_

…

"So I would like to thank you all for coming out tonight. Charlie and I thank you all very much. Every one of you out there has a major part in our lives and we thank you so much for making a huge impact on our lives. Jackson Webber, you boy are the love of my life. I'm going to marry you and have your babies one day. Your just beautiful and amaze me every day." Jasmine says later that night at the dinner. She blows a kiss his way. "Thank you for everything you have done to make me who I am. Especially your family. Meredith, Derek, Charlie, Richard, Kaylee and Cooper. You have become my second family and I can lean on you all for anything. Even if it's just a friendly, warm smile. My family, mum, dad, Billie, Nina, Boyd and Asher. We have had our ups and downs but the past 18 months we have really gotten so much closer and it seems like nothing will tear us apart. I love you all. Thank you for throwing me this party. I appreciate it and I appreciate you all getting me through to 18 safely." She says. "Enjoy your night and thank you all for coming out tonight."

Jasmine comes and sits down at the table beside Meredith. It wasn't late but Cooper was exhausted. He had his arms wrapped around Meredith's neck and had his head resting on her chest. Just listening to her heart beating beneath her skin. His favourite thing to do. Listen to his mother's heart beating.

"Do you know what Jasmine, all day today, all I could think about it that I didn't get an 18th birthday, I was in the hospital with Kaylee. Could you imagine being in my shoes. On this night being in hospital with your own little baby."

"No I couldn't. I still don't know how you and Derek did it."

"It's called sacrifice and love and hard work. You'll understand one day when you are actually sitting in the hospital with your brand new baby in your arms." Meredith tells her. "Then the times you go back again and again it will never get old. You will just be a little wiser and a little older." She says referring to Cooper in her arms.

Jasmine leans towards Cooper.

"Hey mister." She says to Cooper and he turns towards her. "You are the cutest boy out there. I love you a lot and I will never forget you and what your mother has done for me in the past. She is an amazing lady. Treat her well because she is so special and amazing you'll never find a mother better than her."

Cooper smiles at her and then looks at his mum before looking back at Jasmine. Jasmine kisses his cheek and he turns his head away to listen to Meredith's beating heart.

"Did you like your cake Kaylee?"

"It was really good." She says from Jackson's lap. "I liked it a lot."

Music started playing and Kaylee's head shot up to look for where it was being played.

"Kaylee you don't want to dance with the oldies do you?" Jackson asks her.

"The oldies?"

"You know like Poppy Richard. He's old."

"Poppy isn't old." She says.

"Yeah he is. He's a grandfather." Jackson says.

"Well Poppy is still quite young. Just like Nanna."

"I'm not old Jackson. Just because I dance to this music doesn't mean I am old." Richard says standing up.

"You're getting old dad. Just saying."

"Yeah dad, Jackson is right." Charlie says.

"Oh it's nice to hear my kids say that."

"I'm not saying anything." Meredith says. "Cause you aren't old. 51 is quite young."

"Yeah it is. I may be over half way to a hundred but I'm quite young. I'm a pup." He says. "I still get up and dance."

"Yeah cause you're dancing now."

"I was on my way. I was just wondering if Kaylee would like the next dance?" He asks. "Kaylee would you like to dance with me?"

"Yes please poppy." She says standing up. "I would like to dance with you poppy."

Richard takes her hand. "At least someone doesn't call me old. Your niece has great manners Jackson." He says.

"She's just getting in your good books." He says calling out.

"Jackson you will be in Richard's shoes one day." Derek says.

"Well so will you."

"I know I will be. I already have 2 kids. One who will be 18 in 12 years. I'm hoping she won't have a baby at 18 but you never know. I could be a grandpa at 36."

"You'll be the youngest grandpa in the world." Jackson says.

"I know. Just give your old man a break because at least you have one to tease. Your old man has seen you to your 18th. Mine died 6 months before mine and 9 months before Kaylee was born. He died a day before Braden was born. He only saw 2 of his 5 kids grow to 18. So give him a break because one day you won't have him here to tease about his age. You'll just remember telling him he was old. I done the same to my dad. Told him he was getting old because Kathleen was due. Two days later he died. So just be careful what you say cause it may be the last thing you say to him even if you are joking around." Derek says.

"Well my mother didn't get to see me turn 18. She didn't even get to see me turn 16. She didn't even get to see Charlie become a teenager. She doesn't even get to watch Kaylee and Cooper grow up. She didn't even get to meet Cooper. So I suppose it's the same thing."

"Hey let's not worry about that now." Meredith says. "Let's just get up and dance and spend the night partying."

"I don't dance." Jackson says.

"Oh come on. Go and dance with your girlfriend Jackson. It's part of the fun thing about being in a relationship." Derek says. "Enjoy your youth before you get too old."

Jackson stands up and shakes his head before going to Jasmine.

"Would you like the next dance babe?"

"Of course I would." She says.

Derek and Meredith watched the two of them move to the floor. They were both smiling reminiscing the times when they would go dancing. They never got to dance together at her 18th. Before she knew it he was standing beside her, holding his hand out for her.

"Meredith would you like the next dance. I believe our first dance together. We can pretend it is also your 18th and this is the first dance we have together."

"Of course I would like to dance with you Derek. Just don't mind the toddler hanging from my neck."

"Oh babies are a huge turn on. Do you know I had a baby at 18?"

"Really. So did I. My 18th birthday my little girl was born." She says and Derek leads them to the dance floor.

"I bet you she is beautiful. My little girl is my whole world. My son is my whole world as well. I just look at the two of them and I see the love I feel for their mother. Their mother is quite beautiful. Just like my kids."

"What is she like?" She asks.

"She has beautiful green and grey eyes. That change depending on her mood. She had dirty blonde hair. She has small and infectious fists. An infectious laugh. A beautiful smile. A beautiful personality. She is so smart. I couldn't find a smarter woman then her. She is my whole world. I can't imagine spending my life without her." He says wrapping his arms around her waist. "She is the woman I am looking at right now. Her beauty brightens the room and she brightens my day. I just enjoy the time and look towards the time we will see each other just so I can kiss her lips and breathe her in. The two of us have made mistakes but in the end we don't care because it has gotten us to this position. Married with 2 kids. I love my family. And Meredith Grey. I love you so much. I mean I can't describe how much but you already know that."

She was smiling so much. "Derek I love you. I am loving my first 18th dance."

"I would do anything to make you smile."

**Sorry for the delay. I have been hopeless in updating this story. And I apologise. **

**But the updates will be more regular….hopefully.**

**Anyway next chapter I will update with the other story and it shall be up Saturday. It is a time jump and the interns test and Cristina's wedding. **

**Reviews would be great! :D**


	95. He's Gone

June had soon come. Meredith had seem to have everything happen this month. Her intern exam was today. The triplet's birthday and Zach's birthday tomorrow. She was also preparing for Cristina's wedding that seemed to be on the same night of the birthday parties. Well actually everything was happening in 2 days.

Today was studying before going to do her test. The week before they had gone dress shopping in between studying. Cristina had seemed to leave everything to the last minute and was only doing this because of her mother and future mother in law. Cristina only wanted a city hall wedding but they came to town and insisted that a huge churchy-church wedding would be in place much to Cristina's dismay. So she had a maid of honour, two bridesmaids and a flower girl all in the space of a week. She didn't know how Cristina was not freaking out. She just seemed to keep her calm.

Meredith was in Derek's position a year ago. He spent every available moment studying. Derek seemed to play house while she studied. She didn't hear him complain because he seemed to fit that role well.

The morning of the exam Cristina, Izzie, Alex and George were downstairs. They have spent the night on her lounge room floor.

"Mer wake up. The biggest day of your career is determined today. So you need to wake up and have some food and go to the hospital and take that test." He says.

"But I want to just stay here in the warm cocoon." She says snuggling into him.

"Well you can stay in this warm cocoon on Sunday. For 2 weeks you get to stay in the warm cocoon. If you get out of bed now and go and pass that intern exam."

A smile pry's on her lips. "Fine." She says. "Only if you and I go and hop in that shower together and you wake me up."

"Well I suppose I can." He says.

"So you two, I think in future should keep it down when we are all staying downstairs." Cristina says as she pours a coffee for herself.

"Yeah well you should get used to it." Meredith says. Cooper was on his mother's hip as she made him breakfast.

"I don't really want to. I was asleep. Enjoying my sleep."

"You know you don't have to camp here. You do have an apartment with your own bed in it." Derek adds in.

"It's test day. Don't make fun of me." She says.

Derek just smiles.

"And just because you have already been in this position doesn't mean you can judge and make fun of me."

"I'm not." He says placing Kaylee's bowl in front of her. "Eat up baby. I'm dropping you off at Nanna's cause I have to go to work soon. She is taking you to school today."

"Is Coopie staying at Nanna's?"

"No he isn't. Nanna has to work today so he will stay at the crèche."

"Okay daddy." She says.

"Are you ready for today?" George asks.

"Yes."

"More than ready." Meredith says sitting Cooper in his high chair. "Most importantly you're getting married tomorrow Cristina. Are you ready?"

"I haven't written my vows yet."

"You haven't?" Derek asks.

"I have more important things to focus on today then my vows."

"Aunt Cristina your vows are important. What you say to him is the words that carry you into your married life. You have to mean it and they have to be written because these words are important." Kaylee says.

"More important than my intern exam?"

"Yes." She says.

"You and your kids Grey. They are too optimistic." She says.

"Hey most kids are like that." She says. "They believe in things that we find hard to believe in." She says.

"Yeah well they are too optimistic for my taste."

"Daddy I'm finished."

"Okay baby girl. Go brush your teeth and get your shoes and we can go."

Kaylee left the room.

"She will be eaten alive when she gets to high school." Cristina says.

"She won't be. All kids are like this at this age. If you went to her kindergarten class and saw all the little girls in the room and asked them what they want to be when they grow up most will say they want to be a princess. They want to find their prince charming and live happily ever after. Most of them will say that. Kaylee will never be eaten alive." Meredith says packing Kaylee's lunchbox and putting it in her school bag. "She is like all the other little girls. She believes."

Kaylee came running back into the kitchen with her shoes on her feet.

"Ready to go baby girl?" Derek asks.

"Yes daddy."

He bends down and whispers in her ear. Next thing Kaylee is running up to Meredith.

"Bye Mummy. Good luck today. No matter what happens I will love you even more. You'll do great mummy."

Meredith bent down and hugged Kaylee. "Thank you baby girl." She says. "Have a good day at school."

"I'll be thinking about you all day Mummy."

"I'll be thinking about you to." She says and kisses her. "Go on. Daddy has to get to work. Say goodbye to everyone and wish them good luck."

She makes her rounds and hugs everyone goodbye, wishing them good luck. She kisses her brother goodbye and takes her backpack and leaves. Derek comes up to her and kisses her.

"You'll do fine today. I'll try and see you before you go in. if not. You've already aced it." He says kissing her again. "I'll see you later."

He leaves and Meredith looks at them all. "We'll be fine."

The drive to the hospital seemed like forever. She took her time taking Cooper to the crèche and hugged him longer than usual. She went back and then it was time to go in for the test. Derek caught her the second before and said she had it already. She was feeling good about it.

"Look Mer. Kaylee drew this for you today." Derek says later that afternoon and showing her the picture that was up on the fridge.

"Mummy you have already aced the test. I can feel it. You're moving up the surgical chain." She reads aloud. "Did she write these words herself?"

"She said that the teacher didn't help her at all and that she got them all correct."

"We have a very smart girl on our hands." She says.

"We sure do." He says wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. "What time is Cristina and that coming over?"

"Ten minutes."

"Okay. Well I have to get going. Bachelor party commitments." He says. "I'll be home soon."

"Take your time."

"I think I will." He says.

He kisses her goodbye and leaves the house. Their house is overrun with bachelorette things. Only a small party for the four of them.

During the party pagers sounded for them. Meredith had a toilet paper dress on.

"You know what, you could have another wedding with a big poufy dress and a church." Cristina says.

"No because I have already gotten married. If I can then you can do this Cristina."

…

The next morning they had a first birthday to attend, for four babies. Nancy and Steph decided to merge the two parties together. The triplets and Zack had spent most of the last 12 months together so they thought why not. It saved Meredith and Derek the hassles of being at 2 places at once. The party would be over by 4 so it gave them the chance to do what they needed before the wedding.

"I can't get over how fast the last 12 months have gone." Meredith says as she wraps the presents.

"I know. The next 12 are going to go even faster." He says from beside her.

"I may be going into my 3rd year of residency next year."

"You will be."

"You'll be a 4th year."

"3 more years and I'll be doing my fellowship."

"What happens with our time Derek?"

"Time has flown since we had kids. It seems to happen. You have kids. Your days disappear."

"Well 2 years ago I had my sexy waddle going on." She says.

"I know you did. Your round baby bump and your waddle. It was so sexy. I couldn't get over how beautiful you were. But then again you're always beautiful."

"And you're always a charmer when it comes to things like this." She says smiling. Her smile soon disappears and she tilts her head up and he meets her lips.

"What's on your mind?"

"Cristina."

"What about her?"

"The wedding."

"She'll be fine Meredith. Don't you worry about that?"

"I know it's just that we are the same. Us two are. I just don't know if she will be able to walk down the aisle like I did."

"Well you tell me why you walked down the aisle?" He asks her, sliding down from the lounge to sit beside her.

"Well let me think." She says. "You are the man of my dreams. You make everything so much more clearer. You make life simpler for me. You're my best friend, my soul mate. You are just the guy for me. We had Kaylee already and we were about to become parents a second time. It was the right thing to do. A second baby was due. Our love was to be documented and become official." She says. "I wouldn't have even cared if we didn't get married. I don't need a fancy document to state that I love you. I would just be with you every day loving you the way married couples would."

"Well if Cristina loves Burke like you love me then she will be fine. Don't you worry about that?"

"I'll try not to." She says.

"Anyway lets go and shower before the kids wake up." He says.

"A year old already. That is unbelievable." Meredith says to Steph. She was holding onto Ally.

"The past week they have started talking. I mean before it was Mumma and Dada. Now it's Sam, Zo, All, Bow and Car. They have seemed to grow up and do more things in the past week then the past month. And on top of that they are all walking."

"Are you walking big girl?" She asks Alyssa.

"Ya." She says.

"Steph they never stay young. This was me in your position last year. Cooper was talking and walking and running up and down plane aisles. They'll be waving and running and talking, not baby talk but human talk."

"I know. Its just the past year has flown for us."

"It has flown for everyone."

"I forgot to ask, intern exam. Pass? Fail?"

"I don't know. I should find out today."

"How do you think you went?"

"Good. Really good."

"Well I believe you passed. You got top of your class."

"Don't say that. Cristina is the competitive one."

"Well her and you have been averaging the same marks throughout medical school. If you have both had the same training and experiences and studied the same you will both finish the same."

"Well when I find out you will be the first to know."

"Before Derek?"

"Yeah before Derek."

"I know where I stand." She says laughing.

"Steph you've studied with me as much as Derek has. I suppose he finished top of his class last year. I have Derek but your one of the closets people in my life. You would have to be on top of my list."

"And how did Derek get top marks?"

"He had the study cards and the study games."

"Stop right there." She says. "I don't want to know anymore because this will fall under the whole year 12 studying. I'm going to leave before it gets weird." She says smiling and walking away.

"Come on Ally let's go and see everyone."

She walked through the crowds of people at the party. It was only family and close friends but there seemed to be a lot of family. This time it wasn't the Shepherd family it was Steph and Dan's families. The Shepherd family was lacking a lot. Kathleen and her three were missing. Alice was missing. It was just Derek, Meredith, Kaylee, Cooper, Nancy, Tom, their four kids, Amelia and Carolyn. It was a very quiet time for the Shepherd family.

"Any news yet?" Derek asks. He had Zack with him.

"Not yet. I don't think I will know until this afternoon."

"Well don't stress. Eat some party food and socialise with people who aren't doctors and people who aren't babies." He says.

"Where are our 2?"

"With Conner, Caitlin, Maddie, Sam and Zoe. They are with Tom's nieces and nephews and Dan and Steph's nieces and nephews."

"Kaylee will be loving having other kids to play with."

"She will. She'll be loving every moment of it." He says. "She will be asking for a baby brother or sister soon."

"She knows it won't be for a while yet."

"Have you already talked to her?"

"Yes I have. I said next year she will be able to look forward to it hopefully. I just hope that nothing gets in the way."

"Well you know how easy it has been in the future. Get extremely drunk and don't wear protection."

"That's the teenagers way of doing it. We'll do it the married couple way."

"Sounds very enticing." He says.

"Hey sex is enticing for us both. No matter when or when. It's the best thing in our relationship. The thing we look forward to a lot. The part that brings the intimacy to our relationship morning or night."

After the lunch kids were swarming around playing party games. Meredith and Derek sat back and watched.

"5 hours until operation wedding."

"I know. Not long at all."

Pagers sounded and they realised that it was both of theirs. "You have to be kidding." Derek says. "You too?"

"Yeah me too." She says. "Come on."

They said a quick goodbye and said their apologies.

"Derek, Meredith, I will take her home and get her showered. Amelia can do her hair and we will drop her and Cooper off at 4."

"Thank you Ma." Derek says. "We will see you soon."

They said goodbye to Kaylee and Cooper and headed to the hospital. Derek went with the 4th climber that was found and Meredith was on a patient who had miscarried the night before.

"I remember you. You were 2 years above me in high school. You were always the one with the high marks but you never seemed like a geek, you were more like a partier. You were pregnant during your last year weren't you?"

"Yeah I was."

"What did you have?"

"A girl. She was born on my birthday nearly 6 years ago."

"I found out the foetus was a little girl. I was so uncertain about a child. You know, I'm just finishing up at college I didn't want a distraction. My ex-boyfriend dumped me for someone else. I would have been alone raising the child."

"You are never alone. Even if you think you are. You are never alone. I felt so alone when the father of my daughter wasn't around but I soon realised that I have family and that child who loves you. You can never be alone."

"The timing wasn't right either."

"A baby never makes the right timing. My first child was born when I was 18. The second was born when I was halfway through med school. A week before my husband was starting his internship. You can never plan the way you like. You just have to adapt."

"Adapting is so hard."

"I know it is. You learn to adapt as you get older. Society is a hell of a lot different then high school. You are dealing with different people and things you have to adapt or you will never grow and learn of the world around you. You would have adapted with the child. I assure you 100 per cent. I sure as hell have."

She left the room and went and filled out charts. Next thing she knew she was staring at an eyebrow-less Cristina and convincing Bailey that she needed to cut and she decided to.

After that she kicked her from the OR and down to the locker room where they were getting changed.

"Your flower girl is here." Derek says leading Kaylee into the locker room.

"You look beautiful Kaylee." George says.

"I don't even have my dress on yet either." She says.

Everyone around smiles and she goes and sits down and watched them dress and get ready.

"Anyone have any deodorant?" Alex asks.

"You're not putting my deodorant in your hairy armpits."

"Don't move. You're going to have a unibrow. I have some in my locker." Izzie tells him.

"Closed? Open?" George asks.

"Closed. Perfect. Dashing." Meredith says.

"Thanks."

"You look great."

"Moment of truth people." Patricia says opening up the door.

"Our scores?"

"Grey. Karev. Yang. Stevens. O'Malley."

"Yes!"

"Right here, baby."

"Yes! Thank god!"

"Did you pass?" Cristina asks.

"You bet your married booty I did." She says.

"Mummy is that your results?" Kaylee asks.

"Yeah baby."

"Are you no longer an intern?"

"No longer baby girl."

Kaylee's arms wrapped tightly around her and Meredith kissed the top of her head.

"How'd you do? Did you pass?" Izzie asks George.

"Yeah. I'll talk to you at the church."

"Okay."

"Oh, hey! Sorry. Excuse me."

"Hey." Meredith says.

"Meredith."

"I'll meet you at the chapel." She tells Cristina. "Iz, can you take the dress?"

"Yes." She says taking the dress from Meredith.

"I'll be right there."

"Okay."

Derek shut the door and turned back to her, he had a questioning smile on his face. Cooper was at his side dressed in a tux. Derek looked dashing in his tux as well.

"So?" Derek asks.

"So what?"

"Intern exam?"

"Passed."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously." She says with a huge grin on her face.

Derek picked her up and spun her around, before placing her down and kissing her lips.

"I love you so much." He says against her lips. "I'm serious."

"I love you to."

"And I'm so proud of you as well."

She smiled back at him.

"Tonight, after the wedding ceremony, you and me are doing some celebrating." He says in a quiet whisper.

"I would like that very much." She says.

"Hey it's our future, our future is growing and expanding. We'll be attending's in no time." He says. "We have so much to talk about now."

"Well we will take those things one step at a time. We are young Derek. We have plenty of time ahead of us to worry about these things and discuss them. Right now I have to focus on getting Cristina married. I have to focus on getting her down the aisle."

"Let's go then." He says. "We're running late." He takes her hand and kisses her again.

They arrived at the church. Derek taking Cooper to be watched by Mark up the front. George said he was going to watch him but he was a no show, Derek had no idea where he was. Meredith took Kaylee to dress her in her flower girl dress.

All Meredith had to do now was make sure Cristina got down the aisle or most importantly come out of the room. She finally did and Meredith was amazed at how she looked. Her best friend was really growing up. Cristina's mother told her she thought she was to emotionally stunted to settle down. If Meredith could do it then Cristina could.

Izzie had a sneak peak at the church while the finishing touches were being made to Cristina.

"Yang. The twins look nice in that dress." Alex says.

"Thank you. Sort of." She says.

"Mummy what does that mean?"

"Never mind sweetie." Meredith tells her.

"I gotta go. Congrats."

"You're on call?"

"Wait! Alex, did you see George in there?" Izzie asks. "I don't see him."

"Mummy what do I do again?" Kaylee asks.

Meredith bends down and looks at her, holding her hands. She smiles at her.

"Okay sweetie, like we practiced yesterday and the day before. You were so natural that you will start walking down there and be fine."

"But there's a lot of people out there." She says getting worried.

"Hey, don't worry about them Kay." Cristina says.

"They will just see you and think how gorgeous you are." Meredith adds in. "When you walk look at daddy. Daddy will be watching you the whole entire time. Watch your step and keep an eye on daddy's smile. He'll make you forgot about them."

"Okay. When do I walk again?"

"After me baby girl. If you want I can hold your hand as we walk down there." Meredith says.

"But that isn't what we practiced."

"Aunt Cristina won't mind. Will you?"

"Not at all Kaylee. You see how you feel and you can decide if you want to walk with your mum or by yourself. Just take a deep breath." She says.

The changing music mean it was ShowTime.

"You'll do fine Kay." Meredith says kissing her forehead. "Absolutely fine."

She stood upright and saw Cristina change.

"This is it."

"Yeah. I know."

"Okay?"

"Yeah."

"Have the bouquet?"

"Yeah."

"I have the ring."

"Yeah."

"Do you remember your vows?"

"Yeah, I wrote them on my…"

"Okay."

"Oh, my god. I scrubbed in. I scrubbed in. The vows were on my hand. I scrubbed off my vows." She says. "Hello! I scrubbed off my vows. I can't do this. I don't have any… I don't have anything on my hand!"

"I should go see what's going on." Derek says.

"Cristina wouldn't be Cristina id she didn't need a little push." Burke says.

"There are no words in my head. Okay, I have no vows. No vows!" She says pacing.

"It's okay. It's going to be okay."

"Stop saying that! Will you say something else?"

"Like what?"

"Say something that is going to help me!"

"Okay! Okay!..."

"Meredith! Please! Say something! Say… Say.. Okay, say what I would say to you if you were me."

"Okay."

"Good."

"Got it."

"Good. Go."

"Stop whining! This is your wedding day! You will go down that aisle and get married if I have to kick your arse every step to get you there. You will walk down the aisle, you will get married. You hear me? We need this. We need you to get your happy ending."

"Okay. I'm ready." She says.

"All right then."

"Oh, here."

"The train."

"I'll go." Burke says.

"I'm ready. I'm fine. Meredith talked me down. I'm fine. Go. I'll be right behind you."

"I'm sorry."

"Oh, no. I can do this. You know, I had a momentary freak out, but now I'm fine. I can do this. Come on."

"But you don't want to do this. I'm up there waiting for you to come down the aisle. And I know you don't want to come. I know you don't want to come, but that you'll come anyway because you love me. And if I loved you, if I loved you, not the woman that I'm trying to make you be, not the woman that I hope you'll become, but you. If I did, I wouldn't be up there waiting for you. I would be letting you go."

"I am wearing the dress. I'm ready. And maybe I didn't want to before, but I want to now. I really think I want this."

"I really wish you didn't think. I wish that you knew."

The next moment he was there. The next moment he was gone. The next moment Cristina was in the dressing room. The next moment the white doors opened and Meredith was in front of the girls. Kaylee was standing in front of Izzie. The next moment Meredith took the steps of the aisle to the front of the chapel. She shook her head at Derek before addressing the guests.

She took a deep breath and looked around, trying to find the words to say.

"It's over. You can all go home. It's over." She says looking at Derek.

Derek took her hand and followed her down the aisle to go behind the white doors.

…

She opened Cristina's apartment door and found her in her wedding dress.

"He's gone."

"I don't think he's gone. His stuff is still here."

"No. His trumpet was here." She says. "His entire Eugene Foote collection, vinyl's and CD's. His grandmother's picture was by the bed. His lucky scrub cap was hanging on the door." She says moving to survey the apartment. She turned back to Meredith. "He's gone."

Meredith didn't know what to do.

"I'm… I'm free. Damn it." She says as she starts to cry. "Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Oh, God, get this off! Take this off! Take this off! Please!"

"I need scissors." She says as she takes the necklace off and throws it to the floor.

Cristina started hyperventilating. Panicking. Trying to take the dress off.

"Help. Help me."

Meredith came back with the scissors and cut Cristina out of her wedding dress and held her hands as she hyperventilated. Since Meredith's friendship with Cristina, this is the saddest thing that has ever happened to her. Meredith having to cut her best friend out of her wedding dress was traumatic. Her friend was so strong. This never happened to her. Her heart was breaking.

She just helped Cristina breathe and get through the next part.

**What we're your thoughts. Let me know. **

**I'll try and update soon and it shall be Cristina and Meredith's return home and Cooper's second birthday. Reviews and thoughts will be great as well. **


	96. First Teeth, Growing Up

Derek stood at the airport. He had Cooper in his arms and Kaylee by his side. Both kids had balloons tied to their wrists. They were waiting for Meredith to arrive home after she went away with Cristina. She knew Cristina didn't want to be alone at a time like this.

She was unsure at leaving Derek and the kids for the 10 days. Derek practically packed a bag for her and carried her to the taxi to tell her to leave and enjoy herself. She had just finished her internship and she needed to celebrate. Meredith's idea of celebrating would be to stay at home with the kids and sleep and run car pool for Kaylee and visit Steph and Nancy. But she didn't mind 10 days being in Hawaii in the sun and snorkelling.

She walked through the airport to the arrival gate. Cristina walking beside her.

"Did you enjoy the sun and the sand?" Meredith asks her.

"It was nice. Better than the rain." She replies. "You?"

"I missed the kids a hell of a lot. I really missed them."

"Well they will be waiting for you on the other side of this door Mer." Cristina says.

And she was right. They came through the door to the arrival lounge. They went through quarantine and all the other protocols. Cristina went off and bought duty free alcohol. Meredith was worried about her. Her fiancé had left her at the altar and she almost suffocated in her wedding dress.

She didn't speak a word of it as they holidayed so Meredith and her talked about work and the kids and what they were doing for Cooper's upcoming birthday in two days. She wasn't real big on listening to Meredith talk about the kids but she didn't mind Cooper and Kaylee and listening to the stories Meredith told about the two of them.

They walked through the doors and Meredith could see a blue balloon floating in the air and a pink one lower. She knew instantly who it was. A smile formed on her face and Derek smiled back.

"Mummy." Kaylee says running towards her.

Meredith knelt to the ground and Kaylee fell into her arms almost knocking them to the ground.

"Hey baby girl."

"Mumma." Cooper says running to them as well. Meredith greets him with a spare arm and he runs into it.

"Hey Coopie." She says. "I missed you both."

She kisses each of their foreheads ten times each to miss out on the kisses she missed giving. She held them tight in her arms and Derek stood back watching. Cristina stood beside Meredith, smiling at her person and her 'niece and nephew'.

"Ready say hi to Aunt Cristina." She whispers.

"Hi Cris." Kaylee says wrapping her arms around Cristina's legs.

"Hey Kaylee."

Cooper didn't leave Meredith's side. She picked him up in her arms and kissed his cheek. Cristina walked holding Kaylee's hand.

"Hey you." Derek says.

"Hi." Meredith says as Derek wraps his arms around her waist. "I missed you a lot you know."

"I missed you too." He says.

They share a short kiss and he keeps his arm on the small of her back and smiles.

"So Cristina do you need a lift home?" Derek asks.

"That would be nice."

"Okay so let's go to luggage claim then." He says.

He keeps his hand on the small of Meredith's back as they walk to collect their luggage. Kaylee held tightly onto Cristina's hand.

"Aunt Cris did you swim with dolphins?"

"I did. Your Mummy swam with them as well."

"Wow." She says. "Did they kiss you? I've been kissed by a dolphin before. So has Coopie. He just didn't like it very much."

Cristina smiles. "We didn't kiss them. They just swam with us." She replies to Kaylee.

"I want to swim with dolphins on day."

"Well you will one day sweetie."

"Which bags?" Derek asks.

"That one." Cristina says.

"And that one."

He takes the bags from the carousel.

"Mummy we have a surprise for you when we get home." Kaylee says.

"Really? You know I don't like surprises very much." She tells her.

"I know but Daddy insisted we get you one." She says.

"Well I hope that Daddy got me a good surprise then." She says looking at Derek, raising her eyebrows.

"Oh Daddy will give you a good one." He says in a quieter voice so Kaylee's curious ears didn't catch on.

"Well we should head home so you can see this surprise." Cristina says rolling her eyes.

With the car packed with the bags Cristina sits in between Kaylee and Cooper. Cooper insisting he have a book read to him. She reads to him and listens to the conversation between Derek and Meredith.

"Ma is having us over for dinner tonight." Derek says.

"Oh so no surprise?"

"You shall get your surprise. One for when we get home and one for later tonight."

Meredith smiles at him. "You know that I missed you a lot?"

"I missed you a lot to." He says smiling at her.

"Did you get Coopie's invitations out?"

"Yes I sent them out the day you went away. Ma had insisted on helping with his party. So I gave her the list at what we needed and the plan and theme. She is making a cake for him. A lion one." He says smiling.

"Where the wild things are?"

"Yep from the book. She has managed to find everything we needed. I would have been flat out finding these things and it would have taken me weeks to find everything. She got everything in 2 days."

"Your mother is a saint."

"She sure is. She also has something for you. When we get to dinner tonight she will give it to you."

"Your family is spoiling me."

"We all love you. We can spoil you." He says.

They drop Cristina off and Meredith walks upstairs with her to help her. She makes sure Cristina is alright and says goodbye. She climbs in the car and they drive home. Cooper makes himself carried by Meredith. He was catching up on the time he missed out being with his mother.

She had to admit he had grown a hell of a lot in the past 10 days. He was 2 in two days. He was no longer her baby. She was thinking and hoping he wouldn't be a baby for any longer. He would soon have a younger sibling to play with and kiss every night before the baby went to sleep.

Derek and Kaylee had already gotten inside and she followed with Cooper. She walked through the door and put Cooper to the ground and she went and sat down.

Derek and Kaylee came in with a present and handed it to her. Kaylee was smiling widely.

"Here you go Mummy." She says. "Because Coopie, Daddy and I are very proud of you passing we got you something special. It is mainly from me and Coopie though because Daddy has something he wants to give you separately."

The present is placed on her lap. It has been wrapped in white and has a silver ribbon around the packaging.

She opens it up and inside she sees a box. She opens the box and sees that it is filled with different things. Drawings, photos, cards and many other things. It made her heart go all gooey and she felt home again.

"Thanks guys." She says smiling.

She rummages through everything. The box had photos on the outside of it. Ones from when the kids were newborns to just recently. They kids had obviously worked together to make her this. She couldn't believe it. She read the cards and saw Kaylee had written a letter to her.

_Dear Mummy_

_Coopie and I are so proud of you. Coopie obviously can't write very well but he had an input in what I was going to write. We love you so much. You give up your time and you mostly don't have a lot of time to give. If you work long hours you come home and wrap your arms around us and ask about our days. You make an effort and we don't appreciate and see that a lot of the time you are very tired and want to sleep. We are glad to have you home to be with and to make everything feel much better. Coopie doesn't understand it as much as I do but I am starting to understand that sometimes you may just want to come home and sleep and not be with us but daddy says that you don't mind. We love you no matter what mistakes you have made. Most of your mistakes are beautiful and living proof of your love. We can't thank you enough for bringing us into the world. With both and all of our hearts we will take care of you a lot and love you and we will treat you beautifully. We hope you enjoy and transition well into your next journey and stage of your career. I can see you in only a few short years wearing the navy blue scrubs and you will be a great. I will look up to you as you are one of the few greats. One of the many few women I will love and cherish for the rest of my life._

_Stay cool mummy. And stay beautiful. We love you mummy._

She felt a tear in her eye and wrapped her arms around Kaylee. She kissed her and then kissed Cooper.

She finally was back home where she really wanted to be. She was at a place where if she failed she would be accepted and loved. She would have a job in this home no matter what.

…

"Happy birthday baby boy." Meredith says picking him up and holding him high in the air.

Cooper smiled and as he was brought back down he wrapped his arms around her neck and held her tightly.

"How old are you today Coopie?" Kaylee asks.

He holds up two fingers and smiles. "Two." He says.

"Mummy he is getting very big now and too smart. I'm going to have to compete to talk."

Meredith smiled. Her kids definitely inherited Derek's talking gene. Cooper becoming more talkative in the past 8 months.

"Where's dada?"

"He had to work the night shift so he could come home and see you open your presents and have your party. He should be home very soon." She tells them. "How about some breakfast and then we take Kaylee to school and we come home and daddy should be waiting for us then."

She cooked the kids pancakes and Cooper showed how big he was getting by not needing help from his mum. She cut the pancake into small enough squares so he could use his fork and eat himself.

She had to smile and reminisce how quickly time flies with children.

"Remember Daddy's birthday is next week we have to get him something special."

"Will you and daddy be working?"

"Yeah baby. We will start a little later though so we can spend the morning and then we can drop you and Coopie at the crèche and then we will go to work."

"Mummy I sometimes wish your work didn't take up so much of your time."

"I know. Me too. I wish the day was longer. So I could see you for longer in the afternoon and night." She says. "Or I would wish to never work ever and stay at home."

"Why didn't you become a stay at home mummy like Steph? It would have solved all the problems in the world."

Kaylee's words hit her more than she expected. It took her back to when she was about to start med school and was so unsure. Kaylee was only 15 months old and she was so into the motherhood thing she didn't want to leave her. Or to the time she started her part time work waitressing. Or to when she found out about Cooper and had a momentary breakdown. She didn't want to be a doctor. She wanted to be a mother. Well she had a breakdown because she didn't think she could do both.

But she came around and knew that this is what she wants to do.

"I thought about it but if I didn't work then I wouldn't be able to tell you stories about the hospital and we wouldn't be able to have the dream house at the land built."

"When are we going to move into the house?"

"Well when the time is right we will. We are cosy in here at the moment. Maybe when you get a new sibling we will think about breaking ground and we will build our house."

"You mean the castle."

"The castle." She says smiling. "Quick we have to get going."

"Mummy I have a wiggly tooth."

"Is it your first wiggly tooth?"

"Yes mummy!" She says with her eyes lighting up.

"Well when the tooth fairy comes you will be left with a very large sum of money."

Kaylee smiled and went off.

Her innocence and her believing in these things made Meredith smile. She never got these things so seeing her daughter smile and get excited over little things like wiggly teeth made her feel warm inside. Like she had done a good deed. Or a she had won the lottery. Her children where her lottery. She struck gold when they were born, she would never trade them in for a fancy car, fancy job or house. She would be fine living a life with a love filled relationship and happy family.

After their trip to the school and to the grocery store they came home finding Derek asleep on the lounge. She preoccupied Cooper in the kitchen and let him draw while she got ready for his party. He happily talked and spread his baby talk and positive feelings to her.

He sat thinking he was the smartest person in the world. She smiled and kissed his cheek.

"You're an amazing baby boy. Smart and beautiful. You shall be the next smartest person in the world."

Derek woke and helped Meredith decorate the house and do the finishing touches. They didn't have to worry about Kaylee because she was coming home with Steph. So they had time between the three of them. The two of them sat on the floor. Meredith's head leaning on Derek's shoulder and Cooper in Derek's lap as they read him story after story and played with his endless toys.

By the end of the night Cooper was still wide awake, in his pyjamas. Meredith shouldn't have let him go on a candy spree. Kaylee also in her pyjamas. Cooper still had his presents to open. Especially the ones from his mother, father and sister.

"Okay Coopie, these are from us." Meredith says placing a pile in front of him. "You can open these ones first little boy."

He takes one of the presents and unwraps it. His eyes light up.

"My Thomas DVD." He says.

"Yeah baby."

He was disinterested in the other gifts inside the paper. He just looked at his Thomas DVD.

"What do you think of the other things Coopie?"

He looks away and sorts through them. She purposely made this present filled with Thomas things.

"Thomas!" He says. "More Thomas!"

He moves them into another pile and then goes to the next present. Which is filled with clothes and a pair of converse shoes. He grabs the next present.

"Kaylee picked this out for you Coop." Derek tells him.

He opens it up and is a little unsure at first.

"Kaylee explain it to him. What it is."

"Okay well I thought that if we were ever separated. If we both had these teddy bears we would always be together. If you were on the other side of the world and I was here we would still be with each other. See there is a picture in there of us." She says pointing to the belly of the bear.

They knew at the moment he wouldn't understand very well.

"How about we sit it on your bed Cooper and you will know what it is later on."

He nodded his head with a grin and reached for the last present. When the wrapping paper was gone he saw a photo album. Cooper loved seeing and looking through photos and he always wanted to know who the people were. Meredith and Derek made him a photo album of his family members and then filled it with the recent photos from the past 12 months.

"You like it Coopie?"

"Yes Mumma." He says.

He gets up and kisses his mother, father and sister.

"Enjoy being two little one." Derek says.

"But I want to be 1 like Thomas. Thomas is 1."

"Hey we all have to grow up Cooper."

"I don't like that."

Meredith and Derek shared a smile.

"Okay, but you will one day."

He moved away from Derek and grabbed his Thomas DVD.

"Can we watch?" He asks.

"Not now sweetie. It's time for bed."

"Pease?"

They looked at each other.

"I suppose since Kaylee isn't going to school you can watch two episodes. Mummy and I are going to get ready for bed. When we come down you better be ready to go to bed."

He smiled and handed the DVD to Derek and went and sat on the lounge, Kaylee sitting beside him. They turned it on and the two went to change into their pyjamas. They had about 20 minutes of free time while the kids were downstairs.

She sat with his arms wrapped around her. Her eyes closed. She had gotten a huge headache with kids running around. Zach learning to yell had walked around yelling. Nancy wanted to lock him outside with Peanut for the night but thought she better not.

The party went well. Cooper playing with the kids and eating a lot of party food. Especially candy. He had 2 pieces of his cake and he wanted more. They knew that they would be up in the middle of the night with him vomiting so they told him no. Much to his joy. He threw a tantrum and they sat him on the stairs to calm down. Kathleen, John and the kids also came and visited. A surprise visit as well.

"His two Derek. He will never have a 2nd birthday again."

"Well he doesn't want to be two?" He laughs.

"He will get to his next birthday and be three and tell us I didn't turn 2 so it's my 2nd birthday today."

He doesn't reply and she knows he is thinking.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Just that in 12 months you will be going into your 3rd year. Me into my 4th. We may have a child on the way."

"It will be better in the long run if we have a baby next year. I won't be in my 2nd year and it will be less stressful."

"Our job is stressful though."

"I know. I just think timing for next year will be better. And the age gap between Cooper and the next one will be nearly the same as Kaylee to Cooper. So we will experience the first day of school with Cooper while the next one is only a young toddler and we will have time to see Cooper grow up enough before the new baby. It just means a little more jealousy but its bound to happen."

"Hopefully the next one doesn't decide to take 18 hours."

"If it's a girl she will be quick. The boy will be half the time or even a few hours. It's my third so by the time we leave home, call the OB and get to the hospital I'll be in delivery and the doctor may even miss the birth. I've heard that happen before."

Derek smiles and kisses the back of her head. He was remembering Cooper's birth and the 18 hours it took. He was remembering Kaylee's and the 30 minutes it took. He was picturing the next child's birth.

"Come on our time is up. We better check on our rascals." She says.

He helps her up from the bed and holds her hand. He was smiling brightly, especially since he found out he had a new family member on the way.

"_We have something we would like to say." Kathleen says. The whole night she had been dropping hints. A hand on her stomach, no alcohol and weird food combinations. "A new playmate will be on its way into the family early next year."_

"_Seriously?"_

"_Seriously."_

"_How far along?"_

"_We just reached the 12 week mark." She says._

"Niece or nephew?" She asks as they walk down the stairs.

"I'm thinking nephew." He says kissing her temple.

Going downstairs Kaylee and Cooper are curled under a blanket fast asleep, clutching their matching teddy bears. She smiles and goes and turns off the TV. She carries Cooper to his bed and Derek carries Kaylee, tucking her in. She tucks Cooper in and sits on his bed.

"2 years already baby boy. 16 more years and you are off to Uni. Don't wish your life away little one because one day you will be wishing you were 12 again and not 92. Your time will come but let life go at its own pace and enjoy it." She whispers. "Your conception was a surprise and unplanned like Kaylee but never for a day would I wish you away. I would ask for a family of Cooper's. I love you and I'm glad you have had a safe 2 years. You will be safe for many more to come and I hope you will have a younger sibling to share the experiences with. Goodnight baby boy and dream big. But dream about tomorrow and not 20 years' time. Dream about trains." She whispers, kissing his forehead and leaving his room. Half shutting his door. She looks at him one last time and smiles.

She climbs into bed and grabs her journal.

_30__th__ of June, 2016. Cooper's 2__nd__ birthday. Filled with screaming 12 month olds. Temper tantrum and a candy feast. Surprise family visit and new baby news. A niece or nephew next year. He has made it to his 2__nd__ year of life. He kept me in labour for 18 hours but the pain and wait to hold him has paid off. He has grown so much every day and is getting smarter and smarter. I am thinking of an early acceptance and med school career. Do they accept 2 year olds? He wanted to stay 1 like Thomas but he will come around to it. Derek and I are just counting down the days and waiting until he gets to be a big brother and at birthday parties he can hold his siblings hand and help open presents. Hopefully soon he can do that. Soon we will have another pair of feet, chubby cheeked, blue eyes baby around the house. We can only hope. Oh and Kaylee's first tooth finally fell out. We swapped her tooth for money. She will be ecstatic in the morning. 12 months have passed for Cooper. Hopefully another 90 more birthdays for him. _

She closed the diary up and Derek snuggled into her.

"2nd birthdays and first teeth. What and eventful day."

"Very eventful." She says smiling.

"Just think we still have many more teeth falling out to experience and many more money swapping to do."

"I would be the tooth fairy any day Derek."

"I will be Santa every day as well."

"You're a sexy Santa Derek."

"We'll you're a sexy Fairy."

**Oh its getting closer to the turning point of this story. I've decided that when I post chapter 99 I am going to start part 2 on a whole new story to break it up and have Watch over me part one and then part two.**

**3 more to go for part one and part 2 will go start with a bang.**

**Reviews would be excellent.**

**And I've just finished 'You're My Hero' and I've just posted another story "Only We Know". If you interested check that one out.**


	97. I Meant It, I Love You

"I have five rules. Memorise them. Don't bother sucking up. I hate you already."

"Trauma protocols, lists, pagers. The Nurses will page you. You answer every page at a run. A run. That's rule number two."

"Your first shift starts now and last 36 hours. You're grunts, nobodies, bottom of the surgical food chain. You run labs write orders and work every second night until you drop. And you don't complain."

"On-call room. Sleep when you can, where you can. If I'm sleeping don't wake me unless a patient is dying. The dying patient better not be dead when I get there. Not only will you have killed someone, you will have woken me for no reason."

With one of her interns raising her hand. "You said there were 5 rules. You only said four rules."

"Rule number five: when I move, you move." She says standing there. Her pager doesn't sound so before they ask any questions she shoos them off. "Go!"

"I hate them." Cristina says as she settles down between Meredith and Alex on the gurney.

"You don't. You hate you."

"That was hideous. I feel like a fraud."

"I rocked it. I think I'm the new Nazi." Alex says with a smirk on his face.

"You are not the new Nazi."

"Meredith, I need to talk to you." George says walking towards her.

"George. Hi."

"Hey."

"How was your vacation?"

"Fine. Meredith, could we…?"

"Because mine was…. I didn't do much. Hung out alone. For 17 days. Which is the last time I saw you. The day of Cristina's wedding, which was, well… then Mer ditched her family to go with Cristina of her honeymoon without me."

"Girl-on-girl honeymoon." Alex adds in smirking.

"Shut up Alex."

"Why is everyone so tingly and hurt? I'm the one who was left at the altar." She says. "I'm fine, by the way. I honeymooned in Hawaii and I snorkelled. Then came home with Meredith 7 days early and went and saw my mother which really was a terrible idea."

"What did you do, George?"

"Meredith, I need to talk to you." He says.

"Hey! You want to know… Hey, this is for residents only. No interns." Cristina says to the incoming interns flooding the tunnels.

"Yeah."

"Yeah, get out of here!"

"Babies."

"Go away."

"007's in training."

"Seriously."

"I guess I should be going too." George says following his new class of interns.

"No! We didn't mean you."

"I'm an intern!"

"What did you want to tell me?" Meredith calls out after him.

"Is this how it's going to be? Bambi has to deal with it."

"At least he came back."

"Cut him some slack."

"He failed his exam and got left back in kindergarten."

"He wouldn't even look at me."

"Have you seen Burke?" Meredith asks.

"No."

"Wait you haven't seen him since your wedding?"

"Nope."

"And you're fine?"

"Yep."

"You're either incredibly healthy or completely messed up."

Their pagers sound one at a time and they check them and leave for their first traumas for the day. First traumas as residents.

The four of them walk down to the ER casually, with their interns following.

"There's Derek." Meredith says.

"Is Burke with him?" Cristina asks.

"Where have you been? We have MVC's due any second." Dr Roach says.

"We're here."

"Just get ready, OK? And monitor your interns."

"One, Two get stat packs, Three, Four, meet the ambulances." Cristina says.

"One and Two?" Meredith asks smiling.

"I know. I can't remember their names." Cristina says walking off.

"I don't respond to a number." George says raising his hand.

"George, go and wait for the ambulance. The rest of you, come with me." Meredith says walking from the ER.

"Grey, don't let them just stand here." Bailey says as everyone gathers.

The ambulances siren fills the bay and the interns stand around nervously waiting for their first patient of the day.

Gurneys are wheeled from the backs of ambulances and the 'babies' get their first look at a trauma.

"Let's move, people." She directs them.

"Hi I'm Danny." A female intern says stopping her from moving.

"Great, move along."

'Danny Grey. I'm your cousin." This intern says dropping a bombshell on her.

"Nancy Walters, 34 years old, 35 weeks pregnant. Complete upper arm amputation. Pressure applied and an IV started."

"Did he say my arm? My arm is gone?" The girl asks from the gurney.

"Miss Walters, you're going to be OK. Grey? Check the wound."

"I really need my arm." She says.

"Get out of the way!" Meredith calls as they rush the gurney inside.

"See that Doe eyed girl out there. She is my cousin."

"Danny? You met her?" George asks.

"You didn't tell me about her."

"I tried."

"This is trauma room one. As you can see there is a trauma." Izzie says guiding the interns into the room. "Do you need some help? Tell me you need some help?" She whispers.

"It's a little crowed in here, Iz." Meredith says as she performs an ultrasound.

"What do you got?

"Nancy Walters. Complete amputation." Meredith says.

"The baby looks fine, but she's having some contractions."

"Nancy, I'm Dr Bell. Mind if I take a look?"

"Clean cut." Izzie says leaning over his shoulder.

"You wanna rub up against me; you got to buy me a drink first." He tells her. "Hang antibiotics and put on a dressing. There is a good chance of a good recovery here. Do we have an arm?"

"They're looking for it." Meredith says.

"My baby has no father. He's already down two arms, so he really needs me to have an arm." The patient says.

"Get me that arm." Bell says to Meredith as she cleans the gel off the stomach.

…

Meredith headed down to the ER. Trying to locate the arm for her patient.

"Grey. Seattle Grace. Thank you." She says hanging up.

Derek taps her on the shoulder causing her to jump.

"Hi. How are you going with you interns?"

"Don't get me started on them. I have a patient with a severed arm and no one seems to be able to find it." She says. "The interns are babies. They don't know anything except for George." She tells him. "Have you seen it?"

"Your severed arm? No, I haven't." He says smiling. "Meredith…"

"Shepherd there you are. Do you remember the mention of a solo surgery?" Roach asks.

"Yeah I do."

"You've got one. An amputation at 12 tomorrow. Here's the charts about the patient." He says. "Congratulations." Roach says walking away.

Derek stood wondering what just happened.

"Oh my god. First solo." She says wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I better go." He says. "Read up."

"I'll come and watch you. I'll be there don't you worry." She says smiling.

He kisses her cheek. "Kids went in fine today. They know that I am picking them up tonight. I'll bring them by before I leave."

"Okay." She says smiling. She watches him leave and waits for the arm to show up.

"Help! We need a doctor's help!" A little boy says running into the ER.

"You're inside voice." A man says from behind him. "We found an arm in the road. Here, I bagged that." He says as Meredith runs towards them.

"That's my arm." She says running with the arm to Bell and Sloan.

…

"Hi Mr Frankston. I am Dr Shepherd and I will be preforming your amputation tomorrow. I just wanted to swing by and see how you were doing and if you wanted to ask me any questions."

"I'm fine Doc. Just waiting for my wife to get here. And my mother. And my boy."

"Okay well I am here so have me paged if you need anything. I'll be floating around the hospital."

Derek left with a smile and stopped at the nurses' station.

"Have me paged when Mr Frankston's family arrive."

"Yes Dr Shepherd."

…

"My arm is gone." Miss Walters cries.

"We have the arm and Dr Sloan is checking right now to see if we can reattach it. Is there someone we can call?"

"There's no… No I just moved here. I'm all by myself. There's no one. I have no one."

She felt sorry for the girl. She was alone and pregnant. Its how Meredith felt all those years ago with Kaylee.

"Well, Dr Sloan should be here any minute." She tells her.

"I wanted a kid and… I was suck of waiting for the right guy so… And my family… In my family you don't go out and get pregnant. Now I'm alone and I'm having a baby and I don't have a father for the baby and I don't have an arm."

"Hey it's okay. Meredith tells her grabbing her hand. "Dr Sloan is here."

"Nancy, I'm happy to report that your arm is in good shape. Dr Grey here is going to clean it up a little and then we are going to put that arm back where it belongs, Ok?"

"Ok."

"Still no sign of Burke. You've got a severed arm." Cristina says walking into the room were Meredith was cleaning the arm out.

"My arm. Mine. Get away from it."

"Maybe he's not on today."

"Maybe you should just see him and get it over with."

"Oh, no. If I never see him, I won't care."

"Derek has his first solo."

"Really?"

"Amputation."

"Hot sex then?"

"Most definitely."

"I'm trying to save Bambi's life. My interns think I'm a loser. Severed arm." Izzie says.

"Callie's a bitch." Alex says.

"Word." Izzie says.

"She won't let me off my patient. Nothing wrong. He's a nut. Severed arm."

"Does anyone know anything about deer?"

"They taste good."

"Evil."

"George, severed arm. Plus, Meredith's husband has a solo and her cousin is my intern. Izzie's playing Dr Dolittle. Oh, and Alex hates Callie."

"Dr Sloan's ready for the arm." He says.

"I'll say it. George is being an arse."

"I think it's my fault." Izzie says. "I said some things. Now he's not talking to me."

"Why is he complaining? Those new chick interns are hot."

"He's married, Alex."

"Yeah. He's married."

"You know who is seriously hot? That Danny Grey, girl. Your cousin Mer."

"Get out. Before I hurt you." She tells him. With Cristina laughing.

"I'm going over Roach and Callie to Bailey."

"Roach is over Bailey's head."

"Spiritually, Bailey's over everyone's head." Meredith says. "Go and see Derek."

"Why?"

"Just go." Meredith says.

…

"Meredith says I need to see you." Cristina says walking to Derek.

"Why?"

"I don't know." She says. "How's Burke? I haven't see him around. Is he off today?"

Derek closes the chart and turns to her.

"Dr Burke handed in his letter of resignation two weeks ago. He wanted me to tell you."

"He's gone?"

"Sorry."

"Well, don't be. I'm fine…"

"Fine?"

"Yeah." She says avoiding eye contact.

…

"Ok, Nancy. I want you to count back from 100, ok?"

"No. No, I am not ready."

"It's just like going to sleep." Meredith tells her.

"I can't do this alone. I don't want to be alone anymore."

"I know."

"No, I'm scared!"

"I know."

"I am scared, Meredith!"

"I know." She says. "I think it's very brave, what you are doing. It's much better to be alone and feel like a success than to be in a relationship and feel like a failure all the time."

"That's what I think."

"So let's just take care of your arm. And then we will deal with the rest later. Cause I have been there. Don't you worry. We will deal with the rest later."

"We got a big bleeder. Dr Grey, press and hold right here."

"She's having contractions." George says.

"Take a look. Probably the stress." Meredith says.

"No, these are strong, two minutes apart."

"Call OB and get someone in here."

"I don't think there's time to call. Her water just broke."

"Call Peds. Get a warmer in here. This baby's coming. Get her in stirrups."

"Get her in reverse trendelenburg? Have the nurse press her abdomen."

"Try without all the jostling. I'm holding onto a major artery here." Bell says.

"Ok. Clamp." He says. "Scissors." He says. "I got it. I got him." He announces with the baby crying.

Meredith smiled. He just delivered a baby. The sound of the cries was music to her ears.

"Great job, George."

"Thanks."

"Yeah, we're all heroes. Now if no one minds, I'd like to get this women's arm sewn on. Like she said, she's gonna need it."

…

Derek caught up with Meredith the next morning. A smile beaming on his face.

"Kaylee and Cooper want to watch. They want to watch my solo surgery."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Well I suppose I can grab them and we can sit in the front row."

He smiles at her. "I better go and get ready." He says kissing her cheek and passing her. "See you up there. Don't be late."

She had 30 minutes to eat and get the kids. She ate and grabbed the kids.

"Now you have to behave up here. It's a special day for daddy." She tells them.

She holds both of their hands as she leaves the crèche and they head to the surgical floor. She was feeling so overjoyed for Derek. He was the first resident of his year for a solo surgery. The smile on her face was stretched across her face.

"Okay let's just stop here for one moment." She says stopping in front of the surgical board.

"Where's daddy's name?" Kaylee asks.

Meredith kneels down and looks up from Kaylee's view.

"Well we have to find the time and the OR. So his surgery is at 12pm. The board tells you the procedure, the doctor and the assistant. The duration and the OR. So we just look Shepherd, D." She says. "Can you see his name?"

"Yes mummy. OR 2." She says smiling.

"Okay let's go and watch daddy. But before we go do you want to go to the toilet?"

"That might be a good idea."

"We have ten minutes to spare so don't you worry."

She took the kids and Kaylee peed before they went back to the gallery. Derek was just walking in from the scrub room. He looked up and smiled at Meredith and the kids. The gallery was starting to fill with his fellow residents. He was gowned and gloved and moved to the table.

"10 blade." He says. "It's a beautiful day to save lives. Let's have some fun." He says.

She smiled at his words. It was a beautiful day. Cooper was on her lap. She thought the kids would not like the sight from bellow but they sat wide eyed and engrossed.

"If you don't like it you can close your eyes." She whispers to them.

"But I think it's interesting." She says.

"You're going to have a story for school aren't you?"

"Yes Mummy. They are going to be jealous of me."

Meredith laughed. "Yes your life is a lot more interesting than the other kids. Especially the mornings before school. It is broadening your knowledge of what the world is around you."

"Shh." Cooper says turning around and holding a finger to his lip. "Dada down there. He gotta be a doc."

"Sorry Coopie." She says as she runs her hand over the back of his head.

It was two years ago Derek started his internship and Cooper was just a new born. A year ago and he was one year old. Now he was two years old. She was a second year resident and Derek was a 3rd year. Time was flying. Time was going to start disappearing very soon.

The kids watched the surgery wide eyed. They were enjoying every bit of it. She didn't know if they understood it at all or if they were grossed out by the surgical procedure but if they weren't cringing then they were born doctors.

Cristina came and sat beside them.

"They're not grossed out?" She asks.

"Nope."

"You have raised them with good priorities. Surgery."

"They are from a family of doctors. They are going to be interested in it because of that. If not they will become lawyers or anything else spectacular."

"Well I would raise them down the surgery path. I think they have what it takes."

"Mummy what's he doing now?"

"See." Cristina says.

The whole time she answered Kaylee's questions and commented on what Derek was doing. She sat and took everything in.

"Hey Kay. Your Nanna Ellis, she invented a method for surgery."

"Really?"

"Yeah it's called the Grey Method. She pioneered it and she has been known as one of the greats since she pioneered that. About 13 years ago."

"So before Charlie was born?"

"Yes before Charlie was born. She was a busy lady."

"I bet Mummy." She says. "Will you ever get that busy to not be home for us?"

Meredith swallowed the lump in her throat and she saw Cristina shift in her seat.

"I don't know sweetie. We are going to have to wait and see what exactly happens." She tells her. "I hope not. Let's just leave it at that." She says. "But I hope to always make it home and kiss you and let you lie on my chest when you are feeling sick. I'll try and make it home. I will always try to be home for you."

Kaylee smiled at Meredith and kissed her mother's cheek. "I will hope so Mummy."

Derek finished the surgery with no complications.

"Great work everyone. Thank you." He says stepping away from the table.

He looked up at Meredith and the kids and smiled.

"Wave to daddy." She tells them.

They wave with huge smiles on their faces. The OR starts clapping and everyone else starts clapping.

With his mask on Meredith could tell he was smiling wide. His eyes met hers again. She smiled back at him. He was definitely going to be rewarded. And not tonight, it had to be right now.

"Come on kids. I have to get back to work for a few more hours. You two will be in the crèche for a little longer and then we can go home." She says picking Cooper up.

"Okay Mummy." Kaylee says. "Daddy did a good job Mummy."

"He surely did. You will have to tell him how did he good later on." She says.

"I'm going to draw him something special."

"Okay sweetie you do that."

Cooper was fighting off the fatigue that was coming across him.

"Are you tired sweetie?" She asks him.

He nods his head.

"Well you can have a nap when we get to the crèche. I'm very proud of you for staying awake throughout the whole surgery."

She got the kids into the crèche and Kaylee went to draw and she laid Cooper down in one of the beds. She tucked him in and sat beside him.

"I love you a lot Coopie." She tells him. "Just sleep baby boy and you will feel a whole lot better. Dream about happy things."

"Thomas?" He asks very sleepily.

"Yes Thomas and food and anything else." She says kissing his forehead. "Sleep well little one."

She left him and went to find Derek. He was just filling out paperwork. She came behind him and covered his eyes with her hands.

"Guess who?"

"Hmm I don't know. That's a biggie." He says. "Kay?"

"Oh you think you're funny." She says taking her hands off his eyes.

He turns and smiles at her. She kisses his cheek.

"Are you free for let's say." She says looking at her watch. "An hour?"

"I am right now." He says. "These can wait."

She takes his hand and they head to a nearest on call room. Derek locking the door and his lips crashing down onto hers.

After an hour of celebratory sex they laid on the hard on call room bed. They were facing each other. Their foreheads touching. Their eyes not leaving each other. They lower bodies touching and their hands linked.

"What was it like?"

"It was great." He says with a smirk.

"I don't mean the sex. I don't need an answer about the sex because we are pretty great at it." She says smirking. "Your first solo."

"Great. Excellent. The best day of my life."

"What so it beats the kid's birth and our wedding day?"

"It comes after that." He says smiling. "But it's so different. I mean when you assist you assist. You don't get to take charge of what is really going on around you. You are the one to take charge. You are the driver with the steering wheel."

"Car metaphors."

"Hey, I don't use them very often. You should be glad that I didn't use them when you were pregnant." He says. "Check her under the hood."

Meredith just giggles. "You better not use that one next time I am pregnant because I will take the right away of you being in delivery with me."

"You wouldn't do that."

She just nods her head and smiles.

"Your mean Mer."

She giggles before kissing his lips.

"It won't be long before you get your first solo."

"Next year Derek."

"It will come by quickly. Trust me."

"I'm trusting you." She says smiling. "The kids were very proud of you Derek. Cooper stayed awake the whole surgery."

"Do we have future doctors?"

"We certainly do. We better start our trust fund."

"Hey I will be head of Neuro by the time Kaylee reaches med school. I will be earning a couple of million a year."

"Well I hope you do. You can build our dream home."

"Our dream home will be built, don't you worry about that. Even if it takes ten years to build we will be in it."

"I love you." She says smiling.

He checked his watch and looked back at her.

"Come one. Time to go. You have interns to scare and I have paper work to finish and a patient to see."

That night Derek walked through the door. Meredith had the kids at the dinner table. She finished 2 hours ago and brought the kids home.

"Hello?"

"Daddy." Kaylee says, climbing from her chair and grabbing the pictures she drew and running towards him crashing into him.

"Hey baby girl."

"I drew a picture for you because I was very proud of you today."

"Let me see that." He says taking the papers from her. He studies the paper. Looking at the different figures, the picture of Derek operating on the person. And the picture of her and Derek smiling and saying how proud she was. "They are beautiful Kay."

"I'm glad you liked them. Come on dinner is on the table."

He comes into the kitchen and sees Meredith dishing up dinner for them.

"Hey." She says. "Your home?"

"I'm home." He says kissing her cheek. "Smells delicious."

"It's only basic. Not like your meals."

"It still smells great." He says moving over to Cooper and kissing the top of his head. "Hey Coopie."

"Hi dada." He says. "You doctored today?"

"I did. Did you like watching?"

"Yes dada."

The four of them sat down together as a family and started eating.

"I would like to make a toast." Derek says holding up his glass. Meredith and Kaylee hold up their cups and Cooper holds up his sippie cup. "To new roles. To moving up the surgical chain. To Kaylee and Cooper. For support. New interns and life. But most importantly to mummy for bringing you two into the world and being a great mummy. Putting herself first and worrying about us before us. She is a great lady and we will sit in the front row when she does her first solo surgery. I love you all." He says. "Cheers."

"Cheers." They say clinking their glasses, cups and sippie cups.

Derek kisses Meredith's cheek. "I mean it. I love you."

"I love you too."

**I decided on an early update. I just want to start part two already. **

**It just feels surreal that I started this story when I was about 14 so storylines were pretty pathetic and my mind wasn't writing in an 'adult sense' as someone's petty keyboard trolling has negatively told me but I don't care. I hope you read this. I do it for fun. I do it to write something different and for others to read and hopefully enjoy. One anonymous reviewer, 'Guest', can't take that sense of creativity from me because they think I should write for twilight or i-Carly because they think I am 13 years old, you obviously can't add. Look at the date that I added STCT and you'll realise that I was only young. I say grow a pair and stop trolling because to some people these negative comments hurt deep inside. You grow and you learn. Life is not always perfect so that doesn't mean I have to be perfect. You obviously have something against me but I don't care. Be a grumpy troll and ruin the positives you feel. Just remember trolls like you cause people to commit suicide. For example these type of comments; I hope your parents are proud at your vocabulary:**

**Guest, 14 of November – **_Omg you suck and are so stupid. It actually hurts to read your stupid s**t._

**Guest, 14****th**** of November – **_You are the WORST Merder writer ever. You are just so stupid. This is pure shit. What is wrong with you?_

**Damn u r stupid, 14 of November – **_What a fucking c**t. What are you, like 12 years old?_

**Sorry for that rant but that one reviewer 'Guest' just gets on my nerves. I shouldn't let them but my god, anonymous reviewers really are brave aren't they. Trolling needs to be stopped. It's a terrible thing especially when people say this stuff to other people. Websites need to take action because people don't just do it on one website and the main problem is that they are anonymous and can't be traced.**

**SHUT DOWN THE TROLLERS!**

**Next chapter I'll have up in a few days. Hopefully by next Friday part two will begin. And I've made a decision to hold back on 'Only we know' while I focus on this and my last year of schooling. Big things are happening and I need to start focusing on that. So keep an eye out for that again soon.**

You may feel alone when you are pregnant with no family and no father but when you have your child it changes. Believe me. I have been there. I am now a mother to a 5 year old and a 2 year old. You think you're alone but you will have your child."


	98. 6 And 24

Meredith sat up in the bed. It was still quite dark outside. It had been two months since her second year of residency. She watched Derek sleeping in the moonlight that flooded through the curtains.

Today was the 1st of October. Her 24th birthday. Kaylee's 6th birthday. Time had seem to fly by so much. All she could remember was Kaylee's birth and the time spent after at the hospital. The time she just watched her baby girl sleep. Her chest rising and falling. It felt like yesterday that she was watching Kaylee. A few hours after she was born but now she was 6 years old. She was at school. She was growing up every day. Amazing Meredith with her improving grades and improving knowledge.

Meredith smiled to herself remembering all of those milestones Kaylee has reached. It's amazing. All those milestones still to come much more exciting. Some of the milestones she though didn't want Kaylee to reach because it meant she was growing up and was on her way to womanhood.

The conversation she is going to have with Kaylee when she reaches puberty and is growing up is replaying through her mind. She is trying to be certain of what she is going to say to her. Most importantly what age she will speak to Kaylee is replaying through her mind.

Meredith never had her mother explain to her about puberty and all those changes that were going on. She was very confused at what was going on with her body. Until after the changes happened.

"Are you up?" She hears.

"Yeah. Go back to sleep."

"I can't with you up." He says. "What are you doing up?"

"I'm just reminiscing."

"About what?"

"When I am going to have to have the talk with Kaylee. My mother never gave me the talk about what was going on. The Birds and the bees."

"She didn't?"

"No. So when I started growing boobs I was like what? Then when I got my period I thought I was dying."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously." She says. "I was 13. I didn't know anything about menstruating. None of my friends talk about it so I was unsure. I went and woke my mother up and told her I was dying. She told me not to be ridiculous and I said I'm bleeding so I'm going to die."

Derek just laughed at her.

"Shut up Derek." She says smiling.

"What happened after that?"

"She asked where I was bleeding and I was like down there. A smile came across her face and I was unsure why my mother was smiling when I was dying. I thought she was smiling because she was finally getting rid of me. She took me to the bathroom and sat me down. She explained everything to me and how it happens and why. She held me to her chest and she was all smiles and happy. I was growing up and becoming a woman."

"You thought you were dying."

"Well I would have gone and lay on my bed and thought that I was dying. That's how oblivious I was."

"Hey it happens. I was like that a lot when I was a teenager. I was wondering why I woke up with wet sheets and things like that. So I suppose we all done it. I shouldn't laugh." He says smiling.

Meredith kissed him. "I'm just wondering when the right time to talk to Kaylee about it is."

"We will know Meredith. You will know. You are a female. You will notice the changes. Get Kaylee to be honest with you with changes in her body and she should tell you and you will know when to talk to her. So just don't worry about it for the moment."

"I'm not." She says.

"Happy birthday by the way." He says kissing her cheek.

"Thanks."

"Come on let's rest. We have a few hours before we have to get up."

She lay down with him behind her.

"It shows how oblivious we are sometimes to these changes." She says.

"Kids are like that." He says. "They sometimes don't want to face the changes. They think their childhood is over. It is time for their new journey. They have been children and they can act like children but it's usually time to grow up and move on into the next stage of life." He says.

He waits for a reply from Meredith but all he gets are snores coming from Meredith.

"Happy Birthday Mer." He says smiling, kissing her temple.

…

"Mummy. Daddy." Kaylee says running into the bedroom and jumping onto the bed. She jumps up and down. "It's my birthday. It's my birthday."

"No it's not. It's my birthday." Meredith says smiling at Derek.

"But it's my birthday as well."

"I don't think so." Derek says. "I don't know of any little girl having a birthday today. I just know of Mummy."

"Daddy, it is my birthday. It's the day I was born. The day Mummy had me. She had me on her birthday. We share a birthday Daddy." She says sitting down on Derek's stomach.

"I still think it's only Mummy's birthday."

"Daddy!" She says.

"Derek, stop teasing her." She says.

"Yeah Daddy." She says. "You can't tease the birthday girl."

"Why not?"

"Because you have to be happy on your birthday. You can't be sad." She says.

Derek looks at Meredith who is listening to Kaylee. He knows that most of Meredith's birthday's had been forgotten in the past and she would also be upset because no family ever spent the day with her. Especially when she was Kaylee's age.

"Well that means you have to make your mother's day happy and not sad. You don't like seeing your Mummy upset do you?"

"No daddy."

"Okay well my girls can stay here in bed and I will make you breakfast in bed." He says. "Happy birthday beautiful girls." He says kissing Meredith's lips and then Kaylee's forehead.

Kaylee comes and sits beside her mummy.

"How old are you today mummy?"

"24."

"And I'm 6. So that makes…." She says.

Meredith watches as Kaylee works out the number. She holds her fingers up and counts.

"18?"

"Yes sweetie." She says smiling. "You are getting very good with you maths."

"We have maths games in my class. The maths teacher at school is very nice and she has all these maths games to help us remember our numbers. I am the top of my class mummy. I can skip count by twos, fives and tens. And I'm only in kindergarten." She says lying on Meredith's chest smiling.

"Well sweetie I am very proud of you." She tells her laying her hands on Kaylee's back and kissing her forehead. "I have always been proud of you."

"Really?"

"Of course Kaylee." She says. "You're a little young to say this to. You might not understand."

"I will Mummy. I am six now."

Meredith smiles. 6 years ago when she found out about Kaylee she dreamt about these moments they would share. She never thought they would share a birthday but they do. She and Kaylee have had a lot of special moments in Kaylee's short six years of life but they have been special. Just like the one right now.

"I was very unsure at having a baby at 18. I was in my last year of schooling. I was still a kid myself. I had doubts about becoming a mother. I had options but those options were not for me. I think if I chose one of those options I would be upset with myself every day because I would be missing out of this. I would be missing out on sharing a birthday with my daughter. Snuggles with my daughter. I would miss sharing my love. I would miss you every day." She tells her. "I am proud at myself for becoming a mother. It's not easy. Especially at 18. Even through the struggles of every day all we need is each other. I love you so much don't ever doubt that." She says touching her nose.

"I never will mummy."

"I'm so glad I became a mother at 18. Even if family deserted me, if I lost friends and had to grow up very fast I would never trade it because I have you and Coopie. I have had to work a lot more for things but I feel more proud of myself every day. Just like how I am proud of you every day. Especially being top in Maths. Keep working hard every day Kaylee. Just because you have the skills doesn't mean you sit back and let everyone catch up. You keep running and win the race every time because in the end whatever result you achieve you will feel better and be proud of yourself."

"Do you like giving life lessons mummy?"

"I do because my whole childhood I never got told things. I was told that I was no good every day. I didn't feel loved and I felt like I had no knowledge of myself and how to grow up. I want you to know things so you can understand more about growing up and have these words in your mind to help you because you get to a point in your life when you stop and you don't know what to do. I had a lot of these moments and I never knew what to do after. I just want to make your life a little easier."

Kaylee smiles at her. "You have made my life easy Mummy. You give me everything and put me, daddy, Coopie, your friends and work before yourself. You work hard every day. I think you should have been treated nicely when you were younger because you are the best Mummy in the world now. No matter what your mother did you turned out to be the best Mummy in the world."

"Thanks sweetie." Meredith says smiling. "You really do know how to make me feel better and make me smile."

"I was put on this earth for that reason." She says smiling cheekily.

"Oh Kaylee." She says laughing.

"Mummy you're not working today are you?"

"No baby girl."

"Are we going to the land?"

"We'll see baby girl."

"Can you braid my hair then Mummy?"

"I suppose so."

Mangling Kaylee's curls she braided her hair into two simple braids just as Derek came in with breakfast and Cooper.

"Morning baby boy."

"Happy birthday Mumma." He says hugging her.

"Oh thank you baby boy." She says kissing his cheek. "What about Kaylee?"

"Happy birthday Kay."

"Thanks Coopie."

"Come on dig in." Derek says.

He had prepared a fest of pancakes and fresh fruit with many spreads and toppings.

"So I was thinking a picnic." Derek says. "I just don't know where."

"Well we are having Kaylee's friends over this afternoon. We can't go too far." Meredith says.

"What about one in the backyard?" Kaylee asks.

"That sounds like a nice plan. Don't have to move very far and we can start getting the house ready for the kids."

"What time are they coming again?"

"2."

"Okay and how many kids?"

"10 daddy."

"Plus your cousins and Zoe and the triplets."

"18 kids running around. That is going to be child palooza."

"Oh Derek you enjoy it a lot."

"I admit I do." He says smiling. "Kids are something I never wanted to miss out on. If they were ten years away that was okay but I have two now and I couldn't ask for anything else."

"I could. My birthday presents." Meredith says smirking.

"No birthday presents until after breakfast." He says. "And until later on." He says smirking at her again.

…

Presents were opened and dishes were washed. Kaylee was given an iPod touch with a docking station. She had gotten very into music lately and with every chance she was playing her CD's and dancing around the house. This gave her the option of having all her songs with her and to play games and watch movies so she wasn't always using Meredith's. They bought her some clothes and a few other bits and pieces.

Meredith was given a booklet of tokens. Since she never took time for herself this would assure time for herself. With tokens including take a bath for an hour. Get a foot message. The dishes to be cleaned by Kaylee and Derek. Take an hour to yourself with no interruptions. It was something that was free and came from the heart. She was pleased she was given something simple. The kids chose a necklace for her and another picture frame. Derek bought her new perfume and an anklet. She told him it was too much but he said it was the right amount.

He was now preparing their picnic. Meredith was helping Kaylee with her iPod. Kaylee was sitting on Meredith's lap as they downloaded it and Meredith checked her emails.

"Mummy who is that?"

"That is an old school friend."

"What is her name?"

"Sadie."

"Have I met her before?"

"No sweetie. She left my school the year you were born. I haven't seen her since then. We did have plans to backpack Europe together after we finished school but backpacking with a 3 month old wasn't a very good idea. So she went by herself and has never come back. Finished Med school and has started as an intern this year."

"So you two keep in contact?"

"Of course. Ever since she left we emailed each other when a random thought came to our mind or tell each other how our day went."

"So she knows about me and Coopie?"

"Yeah she does. I have emailed her pictures of you two all the time. She is very keen to meet you and Coopie. Keen to meet the beautiful girl who stopped her mummy from backpacking."

"I didn't did I?"

"No sweetie. It wouldn't be right. I have Jackson and Charlie to look out for. Then I had you to look out for so those plans never would have happened."

"Good because I thought it was me."

"It is never you sweetie."

A sound came through on the computer and Meredith saw Sadie was calling her on Skype.

"Want to talk to Sadie?"

"Yes Mummy."

She accepted the call and her friends' face popped up on the screen.

"Hey Sadie."

"Hello Meredith. Happy birthday."

"Thanks Sadie." She says. "I would like to introduce you to my beautiful girl. Kaylee Sofia Shepherd."

"Hello Kaylee. Happy birthday."

"Thank you Sadie."

"How old are you today?"

"6."

"Wow. What did you get?"

"An iPod and music station and some clothes and stuff."

"Well that sounds very awesome. Your parents know how to spoil you."

"They do Sadie."

"Where's your other one?"

"He's helping Derek."

"Well since this is a first can I finally meet him?"

"I suppose. Just hold on for a moment."

"Tell Derek to get his behind here as well. I need to see the man now."

Meredith smiled and stood up placing Kaylee back on the chair.

"Do you like music Sadie?"

"I do."

"I like music to. I like dancing as well."

"What dancing do you do?"

"I do ballet."

"Do you like ballet?"

"I do. I'm going to go onto those pointe shoes one day when I work hard."

"I think you will get them. Give it 10 years and you shall be fine."

Meredith came back into the room with Cooper.

"When's your birthday Sadie?"

"The 25th of October."

"The day you were due Kaylee." Meredith says as she sits down with Cooper on her lap and Kaylee sitting down as well.

"I was early Sadie."

"I know you were. 3 weeks early. Your Mummy wasn't expecting you for another 3 weeks but you are happy and healthy."

Kaylee nods her head and looks back at Meredith.

"Now Sadie this is my little boy Cooper. He isn't so little anymore."

"Hi Cooper."

"Say Hi baby boy."

"Hi." He says.

"God your kids look just like Derek."

"Tell me about it. They talk like him as well."

"Are you talking about me?"

"Yes Derek."

"I should have known it." He says taking a seat beside Meredith. "Sadie nice seeing you again."

"Same to you Derek." She says. "Have you two got any more kids on the way?"

"Why do you say that?"

"Well I was interested. Kaylee's six, Cooper's two and three months. I just thought you may have plans for another. Or one might be in the oven."

"No baby in the oven. We are waiting for a few months and see how everything is going."

"Well I think that sounds like a great idea. Do you want another sibling Kaylee?"

"Yes I do. A little sister preferably."

Sadie just smiles. "Well at least you have a brother. I don't have any. I wish I did."

"Then who did you play with?"

"My friends. Your mum especially."

"My mummy is a nice lady. She shared her birthday with me. I mean not many people like sharing birthday's but my mummy does." She tells her smiling. "Can I go and play now mummy?"

"Sure sweetie. Take Coopie if you want."

Meredith lifts Kaylee and Cooper off her lap and they leave the study. The doorbell rings as well and Derek goes to answer it.

"You two produce cute kids." She says.

"I miss you Die."

"I miss you as well." She says. "You should come to Boston some time and visit me."

"It's a little hard at the moment. I am quite busy."

"Well get someone to cover you on Friday. Catch the plane to Boston, fly in on Friday night and then we can spend a couple of days together and fly home Sunday night."

"It's too much on the kids at the moment. Especially relying on Derek to take care of them by himself for the weekend, especially if he is on call."

"It's a shame. I really miss you Death."

"Me too. I don't know what happens to time anymore. I mean six years have passed since I had a baby. Six years. Derek and I can't understand and believe it. In that time I have finished high school. Had a baby. Gone to med school. Got married. Had another baby. And I am now in my 2nd year of my residency. You've been gone from Seattle for nearly 12 years. Just when we finished grade 6. It's crazy. Time seems to escape me."

"I know Mer. I will try and get out there instead." She says. "Anyway you go and enjoy your day. I mean time disappears. It's your 24th birthday. It's your daughters 6th. Go spend some time with her."

"Okay Sadie." She says. "I will talk to you later."

"Bye Meredith. Happy birthday again. I'll see you around."

Meredith ended the conversation and left the room to enjoy the rest of the day.

…

That night the guests had left. Cooper was tucked in safely with Kaylee. They were both asleep together in Kaylee's bed. Derek and Meredith stood in the doorway watching the two of them.

"Just think Mer. There will soon be three of them sleeping together. With Kaylee protecting them."

Meredith smiles and looks up at him. "Let's go and share a bath together."

Derek led her away from their sleeping children. She sat in the bedroom and he prepared the bath. She was going over today's events. The picnic was very them. Just like their picnic six years ago ending with a baby. The party was a success and a joyful event.

"Our bath awaits us." He says. Breaking her train of thought.

She smiled at him and went and joined him in the tub. Their bodies pressed together. They were both soaking in the quietness and were relaxing.

"What's on your mind Mer?" He asks kissing her neck.

"I'm going back to the day we found out we were going to become parents. Just the thoughts that went through my mind."

"I know you weren't going to abort the baby, but did you ever think about it?"

"Yes and no." She says. "I mean we were 17. We were still kids ourselves. You had just lost your father. Our life was really messed up at that point. I thought to myself, I don't want to bring a child into this messy world. I was thinking that I couldn't have a child. I was really considering aborting Derek. I was going to kill our child because I didn't want it to suffer the pain of the messy world." She says. "But I decided that I can't do that."

"Hey I don't blame you. We were young and still kids ourselves with our whole lives ahead of us." He says. "What about adopting the baby out."

"That was another option but I thought I couldn't bare bring myself to carry this child, give birth to it and then give it to some strangers. I mean, I would have carried this baby for 9 months. I would have given it a home to live and kept it safe and grown it to have to taken away from me. Even if the baby was born on my birthday it would be too hard for me to know that every year on this day my girl was getting a year older. I couldn't consider adoption."

"So you decided to keep her."

"Well I'm glad I did." She says. "Look at her now Derek."

"I know. She is a beautiful girl. I mean no words can describe her. She's that amazing."

She smiles at his words. It was true. Her smile though turned into a frown.

"Derek would you have hated me if I aborted her or gave her up?"

"If you were serious about it. I would have sat at your beside, abortion or adoption and held your hand and told you that it was the right decision." He says kissing her cheek. "I would have been hurt but I would have loved you even more for standing up and making the tough decision." He tells her. "But I am glad that you decided to bring her into the world. You sacrificed everything for her."

"Derek I was considering dropping out of high school and not going to med school."

"I would have kicked your arse if you did." He says. "You needed to be a role model for Kaylee and show her, yes I had a baby in high school, but I still carried on with my studies and I become a doctor. You can do anything if I can do that."

"Derek you are amazing. I love you so much. I'm so glad that through everything you support me."

"I will support you all the time." He tells her. "I'm just glad you decided to keep Kaylee. It just shows that if you do have a child young you can do anything. We have become parents and doctors." He says. "But most importantly we have become us. All that drama we have been through, who cares because all I need is you. You're all I need Meredith Grey."

"Well Derek you are all I need as well. You the kids and I. I don't care about money or fancy jobs or houses. If all I have is you and Kaylee and Cooper then I think we will survive."

"I agree." He says placing another kiss on my neck. "Happy birthday Mer."

**What'd you all think, let me know?**

**I have to be honest I absolutely love writing the moments between Kaylee and Meredith. Just their closeness and that special motherly bond that she has towards her daughter and being honest with each other just makes me smile. Not a lot of mothers are honest with their daughters and I believe that the more honest the information the more honest the relationship between mother and daughter and the younger this honesty begins the more Kaylee will feel comfortable in confining in her mother with secrets and other things.**

**Anyway next chapter is a time jump to Christmas and New Year's. It's the last chapter for this part and part two will start with literally a bang. So I'll leave you to it.**


	99. Love, Family and Conception

"Derek answer your phone." She mumbles.

He reaches over her and grabs his phone. "Hello?"

"_Derek got your arse up out of bed. It's Christmas day and you are still asleep. Your kids are up along with all the other kids and you and Meredith are still asleep. Get up and get over here now." Nancy screeches down the phone._

"Hey we got home at 3." He says. "We'll be there soon." He says hanging up.

He looks at the alarm clock and sees what time it is. They had slept in.

"Meredith, come on we have to get over to Ma's. The kids can't wait to open their presents."

She rolls over and is met with a smiling face. "Merry Christmas Meredith."

"Merry Christmas Derek." She replies kissing his lips.

They dressed and grabbed spare clothes for the kids. They checked their Christmas tree and noticed that all their presents were missing. He found a note on the tree letting him know that Nancy and Amelia came over to get the presents last night.

They left the house and climbed into the car.

They weren't planning on going into work yesterday but a multicar pile up sent nearly all the surgeons into the hospital to work. Most of them having already worked a 15 hour shift. The kids were taken to Carolyn's to spend the night. She didn't want the kids in the crèche on Christmas morning. She wanted them with family. Even if that meant they missed seeing the kids' faces and excitement like the years before when they come running into the bedroom and jump on them, waking them up.

Derek drove them to the Shepherd's house. It was going to be a full house this Christmas. The whole family was back together.

"You ready?" He asks her.

"Hey, it's Christmas. I am always ready." She replies, smiling back.

"This is our 6th Christmas with our kids. Our 3rd as a family."

"And hopefully we will have many more together."

They climb out of the car and go up to the door. Not caring about knocking they walk inside and hear the noises that they usually hear when they open the door handle.

"Hello!" Derek calls out.

"Daddy. Mummy." They hear.

Kaylee comes running towards them and nearly knocks them both over. She wraps her arms around them.

"Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas sweetie."

Alice comes to the foyer with Cooper. His eyes are bright and his smile wide when he recognises his mother and father.

"Coopie. Merry Christmas baby boy."

Alice hands him over to Meredith. He wraps his arms around her neck, hugging her.

"Alice." Derek says hugging his younger sister. "Merry Christmas."

"And you too." She says.

"Merry Christmas Alice." Meredith says hugging her.

"Come on guys. We have breakfast and coffee for the two of you."

"Thank you. Coffee is what we need."

"Come on Kay." Derek says picking her up.

They enter the kitchen. The first thing Meredith notices is Kathleen's bump. Her extremely huge, protruding baby bump.

"Daddy and Mummy is here." Kaylee announces.

"Merry Christmas." Derek says to his family.

"Meredith Christmas, Derek and Meredith."

"Come take a seat. We have breakfast for the two of you and coffee." Carolyn says.

"Go on kids. Go and play with everyone else." Derek says to them. "We'll come and spend some time with you soon."

Kaylee and Cooper go off finding their cousins.

"How was work last night?" Nancy asks.

"Quite busy. There were 10 victims from 4 cars. One of them ran a red light into oncoming traffic." Derek says. "We had two casualties. The ones who were announced dead on the scene. The others are just fine. We hope no calls into the hospital today."

"I would think that as well." Carolyn says. "Well eat up because the kids are waiting very patiently for you to get here and open their presents."

"They have been very patient." Nancy says.

"Wow what a surprise." Derek says. Deserving himself a slap over the back of the head. "Hey. What was that for?"

"You know what it was for." Nancy says.

"You two are grown-ups. Let's act like them because it is Christmas." Carolyn says. "Nancy you can take over for Kathleen."

"Why?"

"Because your sister is 8 months pregnant. She needs to rest. And Meredith and Derek need to catch up with her."

Kathleen goes and kisses Derek and Meredith before sitting down.

"You are looking good." Meredith says. "Is everything going okay?"

"Yeah, the doctors are more than pleased. It's my fourth kid. They are expecting me to deliver soon."

"Hopefully not on the plane ride."

"Yeah hopefully. Well we are going home in a couple of days. Alice and Brad are driving home and bringing some of our gear home in the car."

"You need to rest Kath. That's all you need to do."

"Well I am on maternity leave. I have John's parents looking after the kids for some of the day while I do the final touches for the nursery and then I will be able to relax and have a healthy birth."

"Well you have had three healthy births. You should be just fine."

"I shall be. Another boy will be good. Braden is feeling a little left out." She says touching her bump.

"You know what you are having?"

"We know. We kind of guessed though." She says smiling. "Are you two planning on any other kids?"

They look to each other. The end of the year was near. They both knew what that meant.

"We do want more kids. We are just waiting."

"You shouldn't wait. Because if you wait then you will run out of time. It will be too late."

"Let's just say we are going to start trying soon." Meredith says.

Kathleen smiles.

"Well have fun trying this time and not getting drunk and ending up in bed together at an inappropriate time."

"Well it doesn't matter that much anymore. We are married. Before we weren't. It doesn't matter."

"Well we have finished. You can tell the kids the good news." Meredith says.

"Okay kids." John says leaving the kitchen. "Come down to the lounge room."

The adults follow into the lounge room and sit down as the kids sit excitedly around the tree. Meredith and Derek couldn't get over how many presents there were under the tree. They nearly filled up the lounge room. There was that many of them.

"Who wants to be Santa this year?" Carolyn asks.

"I think that Uncle Derek can be Santa this year." Amelia says.

"Yeah Uncle Derek." The kids cheer.

"Go on Uncle Derek." Meredith says pushing him up to go and be Santa.

Carolyn puts a Santa hat on his head and he gives out the presents that are under the tree for his family. Meredith looked at Cooper. He didn't want his mummy's help this year. He wanted to open them himself. He was showing how big he was. She looked around at all her nieces and nephews. Each year they were growing up. And their always managed to be a new niece or nephew in the mix. Kathleen was expecting but it wouldn't be this year. It would be next year. Zach was the youngest at the moment but he was 18 months old now. She was wondering where time went.

"Hey Coopie what did you get?" She asks him.

Cooper stands up and walks towards her with his still wrapped present.

"I'll unwrap." He says tearing the paper away. His eyes grow with excitement. "Thomas."

"Wow its Thomas."

"Look Mumma." He says standing and showing her the new Thomas bag and clothes he got.

Kaylee's pile grew and so did Cooper's. Ranging from Barbie dolls to trains.

"Here you go Mer." Derek says handing her a present. "Merry Christmas."

She opens the present. It was from Derek. There was a card inside the box. She opened the card and saw that Derek had written a lot in there.

_To Meredith_

_Merry Christmas. You are beautiful and I am glad I wake every day to see your beautiful face beside mine. I have to take a moment for myself some days to realise how lucky I am to have you. You have given me two beautiful children and I hope you give me a couple more so we can expand our family and share our love around more. With each day we grow older and we discover more about the world and more about our strengths and weaknesses. Each day I will love you more and more as we discover more and more. I still am thinking about our conversation from your birthday. I love you so much Meredith. Through every decision and every step we make I will love you no matter what. _

_Merry Christmas Meredith. I could not imagine spending it with anyone else but you, our children and our family. Let's hope this next year is beautiful with no interruptions. _

She looked up to Derek and smiled at him. He caught her smiling and he smiled at her before handing out the rest of the presents.

Inside the box he gave her was charms for her Pandora bracelet. An accessory that she wore every day because of the meaning it had to her. Derek had also bought her a new hoodie jumper considering she was stealing Derek's. A bottle of tequila and her favourite chocolates. She stood up and kissed him.

"Thank you."

"Hey there is still more to come." He tells her kissing her back.

Present opening littered the lounge room and presents were stacked everywhere. Paper was covering the floor and the kid's enjoyment was filling the air. Carolyn was up preparing Christmas lunch with the ladies and the men were putting their children's presents together.

"I miss being here." Kathleen says. "Just all the love in this home is what I miss most when I'm at New York. I mean we all grew up here. We took our first steps here, said our first words. We have all stayed here as a safe place and Ma you always tended our broken hearts here and we have always eaten in this room. It's just so many memories in just this house. That's what I miss."

"I will say that I lived here for a few months but I was welcomed with open arms. I was 17 and becoming a mother. I had no family and this home showed me what family really is. This is a family home."

At that point Meredith realised that everyone was going to their favourite memory from this house.

Meredith's would just have to be the all the times she has been in this house. It has helped her grow up and protect her.

Nancy had disappeared into the lounge room and recruited the men into the kitchen.

"We were going to wait until after lunch to tell you all but I can't keep it a secret anymore." Nancy says.

"We are moving. I know it's the same thing that happened last year but we have planned to move there for a while. We wanted a scenery change and new job opportunities came up."

"So we are moving to New York permanently."

This was bound to happen but it catches you off guard when you hear about it and when it actually is happening.

"When?" Carolyn asks.

"We have everything packed and we are leaving in the next couple of days."

"Now three of my kids are not going to be in Seattle." Carolyn says. "You are all definitely growing up." She says kissing Nancy's cheek. "Well if you are happy then I am happy."

"We are happy. We have all lived here for all our lives but we have decided to move across the country to some place we don't know." Kathleen says.

"You do have family there. So it's connecting with your other roots." Carolyn says.

"Derek and Meredith do you have any news?" Carolyn asks.

They look at each other and then back at everyone else.

"We have no plans at moving to New York at this stage. We have no other news. When we do, we will get back to you all."

After lunch they broke the news to the kids about Nancy and Tom leaving. Kaylee and Cooper would now have no cousins in Seattle. But that gave excuses to go travelling to New York.

The kids being young didn't understand as well as the adults did. Kaylee understood though. She hung around Meredith for the rest of the afternoon they were there.

"Okay we have to get over to Richard's." Derek says. "Just Nancy, call us the day you are leaving so we can come and say goodbye to you. I don't want you leaving without a goodbye."

"We will Derek." She says hugging Derek goodbye.

They made their rounds of saying goodbye to everyone and they headed home first to gather the food for tonight and the gifts for Jackson, Jasmine, Charlie and Richard.

Arriving at the house they walked inside to an all but empty house.

"Hey Charlie. Merry Christmas." Meredith says kissing her youngest sister. "Where is everyone?"

"Jackson is with Jasmine. They went to Jasmine's for a little while."

"So you have been here alone?"

"Yeah, it's been alright. I have cleaned the house. Made sure the food was in the oven and tried to not burn the house down."

"Well we are here now. You enjoy your Christmas and we will keep a watch on the food." Meredith tells her.

Charlie spends time with her niece and nephew and Derek and Meredith sit in the kitchen watching the food and making the other food for dinner.

"I'm thinking that Jackson and Jasmine did more than stop at her house." Derek says.

"Derek." She says slightly laughing. "They are 18. They have finished school and they are in love and its Christmas. I would expect a little more than just visiting Jasmine's family. I would expect a detour."

"Well do we get to do a detour?"

"I am going to be responsible and say no detour right now. Tonight yes but not now."

"Well maybe we can convince Jackson and Jasmine to take them looking at the Christmas lights and we can go for a walk or a drive."

"That sounds romantic."

"Mumma." Cooper says.

"What is it baby boy?"

"Up?" He says holding his arms up above his head.

She picks him up and sits him on the bench so he can watch his parents.

"What are you doing Coopie?"

"Nothing."

"Do you want some food or a drink?"

"Drink please."

"Are you tired mister?"

He shakes his head. She looks at him and smiles. And he nods his head giggling.

"Yes Mumma."

"Okay. Well I'll get your bottle and you can go and lie down. Where do you want to lie down?"

"Upstairs."

"In the bed upstairs?"

"Yes."

She gets his bottle and hands him it while she grabs his toy and a story book to read to him. Derek follows them upstairs into the spare room. They both lay on the bed with him in-between them.

"Mumma. Dada . I love you."

"We love you too baby boy." Derek says kissing his head.

Derek starts reading to Cooper. His eyes start to close each time he hears his parent's voice.

He fell asleep during the story and Meredith and Derek just lay either side of him just staring at each other.

"Eating takes it out of you doesn't it?"

"Yes it does." He says running a hand over her cheek. "Rest if you want."

"Okay."

They woke a little while later to a heavy body lying across them.

"Jackson." Meredith whines trying to push him away. "You're heavy." She says.

"You calling me fat?"

"No you're just heavy. I'm used to my 6 and 2 year old doing that not my 18 year old brother." She says.

"You're just jealous because I am taller than you."

"I am not jealous." She says. "Merry Christmas." She says kissing his cheek.

"Merry Christmas big sis."

"Is Jasmine here?"

"Yeah she's watching the food."

"Okay." She says. "I realised that Coopie is still asleep. So we better leave the room and let him nap."

Leaving the room they go downstairs.

"Merry Christmas Jas."

"Merry Christmas." She says smiling at them and kissing them.

"Hey Kaylee, did you tell Jackson what you got from Santa."

"I did Mummy while you were sleeping."

"Hey I only had a few hours of sleep. I'm very tired."

"I know Mummy. Do you want to play this game with me?"

"I would love to."

Richard arrived home just before they started dishing food out. Richard was full of joy and kissed everyone. He played a few tricks with Kaylee by pulling a coin from her ear. He told her he was going to dance with her after dinner and presents.

This dinner was smaller but it was just like the lunch, music was playing, kids were laughing and adults were enjoying food.

"Nancy and Tom are moving to New York."

"Following suit?"

"Yeah they are." Meredith says. "We aren't going to have much family left in Seattle."

"Well that is fine dear. Some people move to states without any family. We will be fine if it's just the Webber's." Richard says. "We shall be fine."

"Then this would be an awkward time to say this. Me and Jasmine are leaving Seattle."

"Wait! Since when?" Richard asks.

"Since about yesterday. Yeah we decided yesterday that we are leaving to New York. You know because we're having a child, our first child." Jackson says.

"You're kidding right?" Meredith asks. "I might not have my babysitter here for emergencies and you two want to be off to Uni right? A child will stop you from reaching your dreams."

"Yeah you will have to find a new one and were going to live off government payments and never work." He says.

"Jackson stop lying." Jasmine says hitting him.

"Yeah we aren't going anywhere. I just wanted to see all of your reactions if I really do leave and if we were having a baby."

"Jackson you realise next time you tell us you are leaving we won't believe you?"

"Yeah I suppose. Oh it was fun while it lasted."

After their dinner they opened presents and had dessert. Jackson got the kids in the car and took them Christmas light looking. Meredith and Derek decided to stay back and help clean up. They would save their extracurricular activities for the bedroom. She wanted to talk to him about the next year.

So helping Richard clean up the kitchen, they wrapped up some of the leftovers and had them ready to bring home. Derek packed the car with the presents and food and they were just waiting for the kids to get back. So they drank tea and talked about what they hopped the next year would bring.

Jackson and Jasmine came back and hour later with Cooper asleep and Kaylee nearly asleep.

"We better be off then. Get them into bed." She says. "We will see you in the next few coming days." Meredith says kissing each of them goodbye.

They got their sleeping children into their beds and tucked them in. They unpacked the car and made a pile, separating the presents.

"I'm exhausted Derek." She says.

"Me too." He replies. "Come on let's go to bed. We can lie down and relax."

He follows her upstairs to their bedroom and they change from their clothes they wore today to their pyjamas. She laid her head on Derek's chest and wrapped her arms around him.

"My pill prescription runs out in a few days." She tells him. "I was not going to get it refilled. I was thinking maybe we can start trying then. Even if we do wait until the New Year. We can start fresh. Set our resolution." She says.

"Our New Year's resolution. Have a lot of sex. I quite like that one." He says.

"We are trying to conceive a child and by doing so have a lot of sex." She says.

"Do you think we will hit it first go?"

"I don't know. I suppose we did with the other two but it's different this time. We will hopefully not be drunk. We will be sober and actually have a purpose in having sex."

"Well we are married so it doesn't matter as much as the last two times."

"Just think Derek. We may have a 3 month old this time next year."

"If we conceive on the first go."

"If not we may have a baby. Or expecting one at least."

Derek's arms wrap tighter around her and he exhaled. He was definitely excited.

…

"Happy New Year." She says kissing Derek's lips. "It's our year of love, family and conception."

"No fighting." He says. "Or running."

"We need to stay strong and positive. And healthy. As long as we are all healthy is all that matter Derek."

"It definitely is." He says leaning down and kissing her once more before turning to watch the fireworks.

"Derek, each firework that explodes I feel as though is bringing in a great new year with no fighting and love and happiness. But with a hint of tension but tension is allowed."

"Happy New Year Meredith Grey." He says smiling.

**Part 1 complete. I opted out on a cliff-hanger for this last chapter and decided on this fluffy chapter before let me say a roller coaster ride is going to begin for the two of them. A very intense and emotional roller coaster is to come and at a very bad time as well when decisions are being made about a new baby, I don't want to give too much away. So I shall have part 2 up by hopefully Friday, Saturday at the latest. **

**So thanks to those for reading and sticking by these 99 chapters (wow that's weird to say). Hopefully another 100 will come.**


End file.
